A Five Pointed Star
by zoroVsanji
Summary: Zoro shows slight kindness towards Sanji when he tries to overcome a hurdle in cooking but can the swordsman set things right when the chef is kidnapped after Zoro say's the foul words which stabs Sanji's heart and sends him on a night walk alone? SANZOR
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS

I decided to write another ZoroxSanji at the same time as the other one. At first I was trying out a SanjixLuffy but things just twisted into this.

Enjoy, please review and tell me what you think otherwise I will automatically think that the story is shit and will delete it. Gosh I'm evil. Meh!

*****

Today was not Sanji's best day. No cigarettes to relieve his stress and not a single shop on this shitty island which sells them even though, for once, he had his own money to buy them with. He had planned to make frog legs for dinner but he wasn't so sure now. His hands were shaking uncontrollably and the tremors were slowly rising up his arms. The warnings that the old fart Zeff crept up on him suddenly.

"_There is a reason why the food at _Niku_'s is lousy. The main chef is old. Don't forget little shit-head, men with shaky hands are not fit to be called a cook!"_

'SAAAAAAAANJIIIIIII! I'm hungry!' Luffy shouted from the dock. Sanji bit the inside of his lip and crossed the kitchen to open the door.

'I can't cook anything today, lazy shit-head. Besides, we have dinner at seven, not five' He said, waiting for the screaming.

'But Sanji!'

'I said no! Can't you hear or should I kick your big fat head to make it better?' Sanji replied, hoping that someone else could cook, certainly not one of the ladies. He didn't want their precious hands to get dirty.

'What's wrong? Have you _finally_ realised that you're a shit cook?' The famous Roronoa Zoro called from the wooden railing. He had just woken up and had already started to beat down on Sanji's ego.

'No marimo-bastard. If you find my cooking that bad, you can stop eating it!'

'Are you smoke deprived or something _dartboard eyebrows_? What's wrong with your hands?'

'No I'm not smoke deprived, I'm just _really _excited to see you _shitty swordsman_.'

'I didn't know you loved me so much, _curlicue!_'

'Sure, I can't stand being away from you; even when I dream about you we're just not _close _enough!'

'Too far ero-cook.'

'Agreed. I'm out of cigarettes. I'm in no condition to cook.' Sanji said, deciding to lay off the insults.

'If you're "such a great cook" then you should be able to cook in _any _condition.' Zoro replied, adding the air quotations for emphasis.

Sanji thought it through. He should really be able to cook fine dishes no matter what had happened to him but that wasn't the problem. The risk of cutting his main tools were too high. If his hands were damaged, what would he do?

'I'll give it a try.' He said more to himself than to Zoro.

Sanji walked back into the kitchen and got the ingredients out. First was frying the onions which meant chopping. He got the chopping board out along with a vegetable knife and peeled the large onion slower than usual. He placed the small, sharp knife near the root and got a tight grip to try and get rid of the trembling. He pressed down and it was cut clean. He cut it in half with more confidence and place one piece flat part down. He pressed the knife in the side at an angle and put pressure on but he misjudged the angle and it shot too wide, cutting the tip of his finger.

'SHIT!' It was loud, really loud.

Zoro heard the cuss and smirked. He swung the door open and walked over to Sanji who had his index finger wrapped in a kitchen towel.

'Get out.'

'You _must _be a shit-cook.'

'I said _get out _Zoro!'

Sanji's voice broke. The tears that were threatening to spill were not because of the pain or the blood but because of the fact that he was a useless chef.

Zoro was stunned as he saw the mental hurt in Sanji's eye. He walked over to the pained man and took his hand.

'Let me have a look.'

Sanji looked up at the other man, confused at the kindness.

'C'mon, open up.'

The hand slowly loosened its grip on the kitchen towel and Zoro lifted it up. A good bit of the skin had been removed but it was nothing serious. The swordsman dampened the towel and wrapped it around the tip.

'Keep it there a sec.' He said before heading for the door.

'Oi, don't tell anyone.' Sanji said desperately.

Zoro nodded and walked out. A minute later he came back with disinfectant, a bandage and some masking tape. He carefully nursed Sanji's finger and then handed him a pair of yellow washing gloves. His hands were shaking a lot more than before and his eyes were still wide with shock.

'Thanks...marimo.'

'Whatever. What about dinner ero-cook?'

'I'll get someone else to do it.' Sanji said grabbing the mop and shakily wiped the floor clean.

'I think I'm alright in the kitchen.' Zoro replied, washing the knife of the red substance.

'Spit it out.'

'What?'

'Why are you being so nice? What happened to the shitty swordsman?' Sanji demanded, almost as if he missed the old bastard.

'I dunno; I guess if I were you right now I'd be pissed with myself.'

'Oh...well, thanks.'

'No problem curlicue. So what do I do?'

'We need a fresh onion for a start.'

'Check.'

'Now cut the root off.'

'Like so?'

'Yeah.'

Sanji watched Zoro chop up the onion decently. The pieces were a bit too big but he wasn't expecting anything great.

'Not bad marimo-head.'

'Like I said, I'm alright in the kitchen.'

*******

'FOOOOOD!' Luffy shouted. He burst into the kitchen and sat down next to Zoro who was already there.

'Oi, oi. Not so loud shit-head.'

'Hurry up Sanji! I'm half-starved!'

'I said not so loud!'

Sanji placed the plates in front of Robin and Nami first with a smile.

Zoro watched closely. Sanji's normal approach to the women was usually more valiant but he didn't say a word to them.

Robin eyed both Zoro and Sanji and let a smile linger on her lips. The swordsman decided that nothing in the world was kept away from her knowledge.

Soon enough, everyone was tucking in to the frog legs in front of them. Sanji was looking out for reactions but everyone seemed normal. There were queries about the dish itself but that was it.

When everyone had cleared out – except Zoro – Sanji dished out a portion for himself and tasted it. It was good, not great but good.

Zoro smirked as he loaded the plates into the sink and turned on the hot water.

'Not bad, huh?'

'You should help me more often Shitty swordsman.'

'No way. I'm not spending hours in here every day just because you cut your finger.' Zoro said immediately.

'Oh.'

'What did you expect love-cook? My kindness has a very short limit.'

'Of course; it's just that it's another two days before we reach an island and I'm gonna get worse.'

'Then you better start practicing shit-cook. You can't just ignore this hurdle of yours. You need to jump over it.'

Sanji frowned at Zoro for a few seconds and then turned away to put away a plate.

Zoro decided to stay in the kitchen while Sanji chopped random things which he would store in the freezer for future use. The swordsman, who was lying face up on a row of chairs heard constant swearing which decreased in time. Soon Zoro was half-asleep and Sanji was chopping chillies just as fast as he did normally.

He sighed and wrapped up the red and green segments and fitted them in the fridge. He looked at Zoro, fast asleep now, and smiled slightly. He was so nice to him that it made up for the shitiness of his day but he knew that it would all change tomorrow. They would be back to calling each other stupid names and fighting twenty-four/seven.

Sanji slid down to the clean floor and automatically fumbled around in his pocket for a cigarette but grasped empty air. He sighed and closed his eyes. He slowly became drowsy and fell to his side making his eyes flutter open slightly before slipping into his first dream of the night.

*****

Enjoy?

Good.

Now, I will post the NEXT CHAPTER as soon as someone gets this RIDDLE right:

Zebra

Cobra

Barrack

Troop

CLUE: it's as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS

Hi guys

This is so weird. I posted my story and like half an hour later someone reviewed me with the answer to the riddle so here I am beginning my next chapter although its 22.41. :S

The next riddle will be at the end. (it's a lot harder!) yesterdays was really easy!

Enjoy!

*****

Sanji opened his eyes and groaned. His eyes were sore and his body felt all cramped up from sleeping on the hard tiles. He got up and dusted his clothes off even though the floor was extremely clean. He looked over to where Zoro slept last night and smiled, remembering his kindness.

Soon enough, the swordsman's breakfast was ready and he went out on deck to find him. It didn't take long. Only a few metres away from the kitchen door was Zoro with his weights. He was mumbling numbers under his breath.

Sanji waited for the numbers to reach 3000 but when Zoro got there he carried on without a single break.

'Oi, breakfast.'

No reply

'Get up before I shove my foot down your damn throat!'

Still nothing

'Fine...'

Sanji put down the plate and turned to leave when he heard the crash of the weights dropping on the boards.

'Shit-cook, just because I was nice last night doesn't mean I get special treatment.'

Sanji sighed as this was what he expected.

'Why do we need to change back to how it was? We get on better like last night.'

Zoro didn't say anything as he shoved the food down his throat.

'Oi!'

'Dunno, It's more convenient I guess.'

'I don't understand. How is it more convenient for us to fight?'

'Piss off dartboard eyebrows – I'm busy.'

'SAAAAANJIIIIIIII! BREAKFAST!'

'Oi, oi! I'll fix something up!'

'BANZAIII!'

Sanji turned and entered the kitchen again. He made multiples of what he gave Zoro and called out to the rest of crew. They all crowded in and sat down. Like usual the ladies got served first and then the shit-bags second.

Zoro walked in and sat down in the vacant seat, looking at Sanji expectantly.

'Oi grass-head! You had yours! Clear off!' Sanji said through gritted teeth.

Zoro ignored whatever the chef had to say and helped himself to a second serving before putting his muddy feet on the table.

'Fucking shit-head marimo-bastard! You had your share, I haven't had mine and the table is used for _eating _not for _wiping your shitty feet on!_' Sanji shouted. This was different from the usual shouting. The crews cook was pissed, _really _pissed!

'Oi Zoro, that's not fair! What's Sanji gonna eat?' Usopp said, not sure if his input was welcome.

There was silence except for the slurping coming from Zoro.

'Damnit Zoro! When are you gonna learn some fucking respect for your nakama!?' Sanji shouted. His face was now fierce and violent. His hands were shaking more now than ever. His visible eye's pupil minimised and for a moment he seemed like one of the most deadly creatures in the world.

Usopp and Chopper make a run for the door and successfully escaped.

'Everyone let's leave them to it. They need to sort this out.' Robin said, getting up. Everyone silently agreed and followed her out the door.

Zoro finished his breakfast and got up, looking at Sanji.

'Why must you make everything so fucking difficult!?'

'We are always like this love-cook.'

'No baka, you are never _this _bad.'

'Wake up _shit-cook_! We have never been friends, deal with it! Just because I was nice last night does not mean that we are bum chums!' Zoro said, now shouting.

'I don't understand...'

'What? What is there to not understand?'

'Why do you have no respect towards your nakama?' Sanji shouted, violent face appearing again. He had said it earlier but this time the meaning had more attention put to it.

It was silent. Zoro's eyes widened.

'How could you think that dumb-ass!? Of course I respect my nakama! As much as it pains me to say it, you are my nakama and that will always be the only reason why I will ever stand your shitty self!'

'What?'

'That's right! If you weren't my nakama then I would refuse to endure your shit-ass comments and pathetic womanizing attitude! Every-little-thing-you-do just pisses me off! You are the most annoying person to be around! I don't know why Luffy asked you to be our cook! He must have been hungry and picked the first shit-bag he could see!'

Sanji clenched his fists and stared at the floor for a moment before storming past Zoro and out the door. He jumped off the railing and onto the shipping dock.

Zoro stepped out and watched him walk into the town without a single care for the curley-eyebrowed freak. He sat down next to his weights and lay back on the floorboards under the midday sun which was creeping slowly to the centre of the sky. Soon he fell asleep, dreaming of thunder and being _extremely_ wet.

'ZOOOOOOOOROOOOOO!'

'Wha.'

The swordsman opened his eyes and immediately closed them again as a huge drop of rainwater threatened to fall in his eyeball. He was drenched and the boat was swaying violently. The thunder was almost synchronized with the lightening which could be seen not far into the ocean.

This was definitely the cause of his dream but the reality version was a lot more aggressive. As he stood up he looked out to the town which seemed more eye-level than it was before.

He looked over the railing and saw water.

'Oi! Luffy! The water has risen by a lot!'

'Zoro-kun! Get the anchor in and then get Sanji-kun to help Chopper with the steering! The water is to strong against the hull!'

He ran to the anchor, pulled it up with ease and then ran to the kitchen.

'Oi shit-cook!'

No one was there.

'He _must _be back from his walk!'

'Zoro! I can't hold this much longer!'

'Hold on a sec, Chopper! Nami! What's the time?'

'Don't know, it's late afternoon!'

'Where's Sanji?'

'I don't know! You're the one who was fighting with him earlier! None of us have seen him since!'

'He went for a walk in town! I don't think he's back!'

'WHAT! Chopper! Go back to the dock!'

'WHAT?'

'I SAID GO BACK TO THE DOCK!'

Chopper still couldn't hear over the loud roars of the waves and the moaning of the wind.

It was too late; the ship was already out by a mile and Sanji was not with them.

Sanji was still walking around the town, getting wet but not caring. Zoro's words were eating him up inside and he couldn't stop the pain that it caused him.

The chef looked at the rising water down below and started to walk more uphill. As he did so, he passed a big bar which was alive with music, dancing and laughter. The smell of food was trying to draw him in but if anything, food was going to remind him of their fight. He looked in and saw pirates. One sitting there caught Sanji's eye and looked at him in interest which tempted the chef to walk slightly faster.

He failed to notice the same man follow him through the rain.

He failed to hear the harmonized footsteps behind him.

He failed to see the famous bounty hunter bring out a gun.

And he failed to hear the sound of a gun being fired until it hit him in the shoulder.

Sanji was down. The metal syringe-like object sticking out of his arm was slowly injecting something. Deadly or just sedately? He didn't know but when he pulled it out, his blood was blending with a fluorescent green colour which had already forced itself into his vein. His eyes started to close and all he wanted to do was sleep...but not here! Why did Sanji want to sleep on this cold wet floor?

He closed his eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.

*****

Again...if you want the next chapter you need to solve the riddle:

E x e = 25

A x a =

C x e = 15

C x c =

CLUE: q = 17

Good luck!

And keep the reviews coming! :D


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS

Hi... ok so this morning I'm sleeping soundly and the phone rings. I have a house phone next to my bed so I was gonna answer it but my mum got it instead. She said it was for me and I was like LEAVE ME ALONE!

Ha-ha

So it was two of my friends saying that they were downstairs and because I was half asleep I thought they meant at college and I mumbled, "You can't make me go to the physics revision session! I refuse!" and one of them started laughing and said, "it's already finished, we're outside, let us in!"

I was like 0_o

So I let them in and they stampeded around my room while I was just groaning at my lack of sleep...ok I slept for like 11tey hours hahaha.

I feel really bad. I think last chapters riddle was way too hard. It's to do with logic and people forgot to convert it back to letters. :S I had to actually write myself a review and tell people what to do cause everyone stopped at the numbers. And then someone got it...Shaun i think...i have a really bad memory. seriously!

Meh, hope you enjoy today's chapter!

*****

Sanji opened his eyes but he couldn't see anything. Just black. He could feel his wrists bound together behind his back in such a way that any movement sent a raw sensation through his arms. His ankles were the same story.

The chef sat up and felt his hand brush against a wall. It felt grimy and bumpy as if something was on the wall and had dried out. He leant his head back and rubbed it against the gritty thing. The blindfold came loose and Sanji shook his head to make the cloth fall off his head.

Now that he could see, he could ask himself where he was, why he was here and who was this beefy man standing in front of him who looked like he had just added something to his collection.

'You've woken Sanji. I see you got a good feel of the wall behind you. It must have felt..._crispy!_' The man said before laughing.

Sanji turned his head to the side and saw the wall. It looked black but at closer inspection, it was a very dark crimson colour. _Blood. _Flakes had fallen to the floor where he touched it.

The chef shuddered and couldn't say anything.

'You want to know who I am, no? My name is Admiral Viper. Familiar? Probably not.'

'What do you want with me?' Sanji had found his voice and it came out sharper and braver than he actually felt. He wouldn't normally be so frightened of an enemy but this guy looked...stronger than the whole crew could manage.

'Yes...you are right Sanji. I _am_ stronger than your whole crew. I have a bounty of 1,000 million and your crew is a measly 600.' Viper said.

Sanji's eyes widened.

'How did you hear my thoughts?'

'Devil fruit.'

'That won't really be helpful when you are up against my nakama.'

'Don't judge an evil bounty hunter by _one _of his clever powers.' Viper said, snarling slightly but then smiling in amusement, 'You're wondering how I got a bounty if I'm a marine? I went against the organisation so I'm actually an _ex-_admiral but it sounds better without.'

'What do you want with me?' Sanji sneered.

'Ah, I knew you would ask. I'm just keeping you here for a while. When – _if _– your nakama come for you, I will gain their bounty.'

'Luffy will beat the shit out of you!'

'Keep dreaming Sanji, but don't go too far into false hope. At the end of the day, a false sense of security is always the first to ruin someone.' Viper said, smirking as he walked out the door.

Sanji sat still for a while wondering how this just randomly happened. He was frightened for the first time in his life. He was captured by a man whose bounty was more than ten times his own. Sanji even had doubts to whether Luffy would be able to pull this one off.

The light from the small foot-squared window suggested that it was late afternoon. The crew would notice his absence by now. Luffy would be pissing himself stupid and that marimo-bastard...he was probably adjusting to his new life without Sanji pretty quickly. The chef let a tear slid down his cheek. He was going to die in such a pathetic way. Luffy was going to find him, yes; but when he challenges Viper...he's going to die. They are all going to die. The ladies... Heck, he'd even be sad to know that grass-head was going to die because of him.

Talking interrupted him from his thoughts. Beyond the walls were people...possibilities of help!

Sanji shuffled himself over to the right wall and laid his ear against the red wall. Yes, there were definitely people on the other side.

'HELP! GET ME OUT OF HERE!' He shouted before smashing his head against the bricks. It hurt, yes but if it got someone's attention then it was worth it!

Sanji listened out again but this time he heard laughing. Was it at him? Were people finding this _funny_?

The heavy metal door suddenly made a noise. Kind of like a bolt being slid away from the door. It groaned as it opened. A brawny man walked in, smirking.

'Relief, at last!'

'What?' Sanji said. If you're amazing at getting the wrong idea then this should be no problem.

'I was so glad when the boss said we had a new toy to kick around. Just the stress from looking at that man is enough to kill someone with!' The man said, getting closer.

Sanji was slightly relieved that he wasn't gonna fuck him senseless. He had heard of gay gang-rapes and apparently they were quite common.

The man swung a foot at Sanji's already bloody head but he ducked before it made contact.

'You fucking asshole!' He said before sinking a foot into the chefs stomach.

Sanji took the impact well but it was soon joined by a shower of kicks, punches and throwing-across-the-room's.

When he was kicked into the nearby wall and spat out a mouthful of blood, he decided to ask.

'Why are you doing this?'

'I told you didn't I? To relieve some stress. The boss always gets a big bounty for us to kick around. Don't worry; he doesn't usually let you stay around for much longer than a week. You should be dead by then.' The man said lightly.

Sanji suddenly realised that Luffy doesn't have much time to find him.

'Do...a lot of you get stressed?'

'Oh yeah, you'll be quite busy. You better watch out for the gangs. They like to gang-beat so you should be unconscious after that.' He said, smirking slightly.

'Oh.'

The man nodded slowly before heading for the door.

'One more thing, it will help if you pretend to be unconscious. Us guys like our victims to _squirm _and _scream _in pain!'

Sanji wasn't sure if he should thank him or tell him to piss off.

The man walked out and bolted the door behind him.

The Strawhat crew were once again back at the island. The storm died down quickly which gave them the opportunity to grab Sanji before he got wandering too far.

'I'll stay behind to look after the ship.' Chopper said.

'Nah, I'll stay. I got some sleeping to catch up on.'

'Oi, Zoro. Aren't you worried about Sanji? I know you two always fight but...' Usopp said, again not sure Zoro wanted to even look at him.

'That bastard's fine. He can take care of himself.'

His nakama left in search for Sanji leaving Zoro alone on the ship.

'Sake...here I come.' Zoro said, smiling.

The swordsman laid back on the deck with his third bottle of booze and soaked in the 6pm sun. He drifted to sleep once again.

'Zoro.'

The sleeping man opened an eye and saw Luffy looking quite solemn.

'We can't find him Zoro. We looked in every single shop...even the ones he wouldn't go in.' The rubber man said, furrowing his eyebrows in worry.

'I'm sure he's fine. Let's just stay here and wait for him to come back. Shit-cook can look after himself.' Zoro repeated, looking at all the sad faces.

'We know he can look after himself but he wouldn't ever miss one of our meals. It's not like Sanji!' Nami said, looking at the floor in sudden interest.

Meanwhile, Sanji was lying on the crusty floor, covered in cuts, bruises and a large blanket of humiliation. He was sure a few of his ribs were broken. The chances if his lungs getting pierced was very high. The outcome was drowning in his own blood...

The chef had been visited by a number of gangs in the last half-hour and had took his first "customer's" advice and pretended to be unconscious. So far...it had worked on none.

'What kind of shit is this?' Zoro said, outraged by the bitter taste on his tongue.

'It's _supposed _to be ramen.' Nami said quietly.

'I think Sanji's in trouble.' Luffy said standing up suddenly.

Zoro rolled his eyes. He thought the whole thing pretty pathetic. The shit-cook was being such an attention-seeker it was unbelievable!

He was about to stand up, tell Luffy he was a moron and then go to sleep on deck but a whizzing sound stopped him in his tracks. The arrow pierced the wood just an inch above Zoro's head where he would have been a split second later.

The room was silent as the note hanging in front of Zoro's face was noticed. He pulled it off and threw it at Luffy who didn't catch it but let it fall on his lap. He picked it up and opened it.

'D-dear the Strawhat crew,

I have your beloved cook and no, he is nowhere near you unless you have managed to find out by yourself that he is not on this island. My underlings seem to enjoy beating him up. I haven't had a go yet, I'm far too busy nowadays but I will have a go at the human punch bag sometime this evening; I will give him the _real _rag-up! Ha ha ha! I have enclosed a picture of your dear Sanji, he's not dead yet but he will be soon! My boys don't know how to control themselves sometimes! I don't expect you to come looking for him. He is a waste of existence for one thing and for another, my heads worth 1000 million! Surprised aren't you rubber-man? Happy days...right?

Cheerio,

Admiral Viper'

Again, the room was silent as Luffy slid the photo from behind the letter. When he looked at it, it immediately dropped to the table.

Zoro stared at it. The dark room seemed too real. The small ray of sunshine falling in through the tiny window at the top of the wall showed slight detail on a patch of the floor. A person lay there. It seemed like a man with red hair who had just been standing under a shower of knives.

The swordsman stared at his nakama, curled up on the ground in a pool of his own blood, his ankles and wrists tied beyond escape.

'DAMN YOU FUCKING VIPER! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!' Luffy screamed out. The crew stared at the picture in horror, not daring to let a single word escape their lips.

*****

Did you like it?

Poor Sanji...

This time its hangman but without actually hanging the poor man.

_ _ _ _ i _ _ _

CLUE: It is used in the visual arts. It is a fancy twist, or curl, composed usually from a series of concentric circles.

REVIEWS!!! Hehehe I won't post the NEXT CHAPTER unless you figure out the word above!


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS

Hi, I literally just posted the third chapter so I'm writing chapter 4 in advance...I'm bored, what can I say?

I'm still tweaking the plot here and there so I'm still not sure what does gonna happen in the end. :S That's really bad organisation. Hahaha – I hope you don't mind but I think this chapter is gonna be shorter than the others. Sozry – (courtesy of JAM)

Enjoy!

*****

The silence was still flooding the room extremely quickly before Robin's sharp eyes spotted something on the picture of Sanji.

'Look, right there! It's a shop sign!' She said, pointing a long finger to the window. The name _Skiller _was written on a light blue board. The light reflecting off it almost made it impossible to read.

'You're right! Do you reckon someone in town might know which island it might be on?' Nami said, her eyes lighting up in hope.

'Yosh! Let's go!' Luffy said, determined to get his nakama back. 'You coming, Zoro?'

'Yeah, just a second Luffy.'

Zoro was still looking at the picture of Sanji covered in blood. He didn't know what to think anymore. Sanji must still be setting this up to make the man feel guilty. That must be the reason for all this!

'Oi, Chopper! Look after the ship!'

'You're going to help Sanji?'

'My legs need a stretch, that's all.' Zoro replied, trying really hard to convince himself.

As the crew walked up the hill, Zoro lagged behind. He was still fighting. Part of him wanted to stubbornly think that Sanji was being difficult but deep down; he wanted to worry over the blonde man as much as Luffy was. He wanted Sanji to somehow know that he was coming for him and that everything was going to be ok. But he just couldn't. He wasn't ready to face that kind of reality yet. This was a hurdle that Sanji had to help him over.

Luffy got to the first house and knocked on it eagerly. The door opened and a middle-aged man peeked out. As soon as he saw the pirates, he attempted to close the door. Zoro got pissed off by his attitude and jammed his sword in the door.

'Please! We just need some information!' Luffy said, desperately.

'Ok, ok! Just don't hurt me!'

'Stop being a shitty wuss and get out here!' Zoro said yanking him out by the arm.

The short man stood in front of them, his hands quivering slightly. It reminded the swordsman of his missing nakama so he grabbed the sweaty hands and squeezed them till the owner yelped. The attempt to ease the pain worked.

'Oi, Zoro! What was that for?' Usopp said, sticking his nose in.

'Be a man and stop shaking your hands, damnit!'

The crew was silent as they knew the reason behind Zoro's anger.

'Do you know where the shop _Skiller _is?' Luffy said, getting angrier by the minute.

'Yes, yes! I mean, no...I do but.'

'Spit it out old man! Which is it!?' the swordsman said, laying his hand on his sword. He, too, was starting to get desperate.

'It's not here! It's on Untitled Island!' The man said, before taking another step back.

'Untitled?' Luffy asked.

'It doesn't actually have a name. An evil man goes there sometimes. People who go there never come back.'

'BULLSHIT!'

'No, it's true Mr. Strawhat...Luffy...Sir! The man, Viper, often takes people from this island or the other neighbouring islands for slaves and stuff! They always die. He doesn't spare anyone!'

Zoro winced at the thought of Sanji's dead body lying in Luffy's arms while the swordsman stood back, not able to do a thing.

'What kind of people does he usually take? Strong?' The rubber boy demanded.

'Mainly men with high bounties on their heads. He's a bounty hunter. All the times this has happened, the person's nakama never try to get him back. Never heard of such thing! Anyway, the men lower down in the hierarchy are allowed to torture him whenever they want and sometimes a week later, the body drifts ashore. Bones broken and everything. Seen it myse-'

But no one was listening anymore.

Sanji was going to die within a week.

The crew had no chance of getting him back.

They were going to try, yes. But it was a fight to die with their nakama, not to win.

Zoro, looking at the gravel floor, clenched his fists till they were bone-white and shaking. He couldn't let this happen to his nakama – especially when it was his fault to begin with.

Luffy suddenly swung his arm back and slung it in the man's face.

'GIVE SANJI BACK GOD DAMNIT!'

Franky grabbed him from behind to calm him down and Luffy stopped his outburst.

Robin managed to get directions to the island from the man so they could get back to the ship and not punch anyone else.

Sanji heard the metal bolt slide once more today but was surprised to see dinner in the man's hand. He accepted it gratefully and ate it all even though it was only soggy, mashed up bread. Any cooking was to be respected, even if it was his enemy.

Zoro sat in the kitchen, really _really _wanting to rip Vipers head off and shred his body into tiny bite-sized pieces! His thoughts started to turn violent as he imagined the blood splattering everywhere and his guts spilling out on the floor.

He sighed and laid back on the same row of chairs where he slept that night with Sanji. The same night where he was encouraging the chef and helping him jump over the hurdle that was just too high for him.

Zoro couldn't even think of sleeping at this moment in time. His nakama, his _friend _was somewhere out there _hurting _and it was his entire fault.

Sanji rolled onto his back and stared at the black ceiling. His eyes refused to close as his distrust in this organisation-place had grown to such an extent that he couldn't turn his back on anything for one second.

He sighed. That wasn't the only reason. There were many if he really thought about it. One – if he fell asleep, morning would come way too quickly and so the pain and humiliation would start over again and two – he didn't like thinking that the marimo-bastard was probably out there blaming himself for this. It truly was Sanji's fault for trying to extract too much meaning from one night of civilising.

'Zoro...I can't...I'm...'

'Sanji...please don't...I'm really...'

'Sorry...'

*****

I hope you enjoyed it.

Here is this chapter's riddle:

Two words

1 – Something you go on

2 – Something you get addicted to

CLUE: my life revolves around it :P

Remember...REVIEWS! Yay!


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS

Hallo Fans!

DIET COKE! I AM AMAZED AT HOW NO-ONE COULD GET IT! Actually I think that was really hard. You could probably only get it is if you knew me. I love coca cola (diet) and if I go a day without it I have withdraw symptoms...a bit like our beloved Franky. Hehe.

I had my physics exam today... I think that revision session might have actually helped me if I had gotten out of bed... (See chapter 2...I think) It was alright I guess. A whole hour and a half! BORING! Meh, that's college for you.

At the moment no-one has got my last riddle but I'm writing this in advance...again. I dunno, it saves me from revising for my next exam and I really enjoy torturing Sanji. Have you noticed that Sanji is the victim in almost every fanfiction? I said this to my friend today and she said it's because it makes him all the cuter. I absolutely agree. I'm not saying he isn't lovable but its more cute for Sanji to get beaten up than Zoro cause...well, let's admit, Zoro just wouldn't let it happen now would he?

Sorry, I've babbled on too much!

Here's the next chapter – (unless you didn't get the riddle!)

Enjoy

*****

'No Luffy, don't. I think he's sleeping. This whole ordeal has hit him pretty hard.' Nami's voice sounded behind the kitchen door.

Zoro scoffed. He was pissed at this Viper guy for hurting his nakama but it's not like he's mourning over his new-found feelings. What new-found feelings?

'I'm sure he won't care about being woken up, he would want to know that we are near.'

'Zoro is trying to adjust to this at the moment. The one he loves is being _tortured _and your gonna just go in there and bring him back to the reality!? His dreams are gonna be the only refuge from this pain he will get. Don't deprive him of that!' Nami replied, going all soft.

The swordsman furrowed his eyebrows. Loves? Is that sea-witch kidding herself? If all women are gonna be like this then he'd rather die alone.

Zoro got up and ruffled his hair. He strode over to the door and opened it. A surprised Nami and Luffy stood a good three metres away.

'Oi! Stop trying to make some mushy love story out of this. You say it like I've been screwing him up the ass! And no, you didn't wake me up, I wasn't sleeping.'

'Zoro? I didn't know you could read my mind!' Luffy said, cocking his head to the side.

'I can't dumb-ass. You're just too predictable for your own good!'

'Why'd you have to be mean?'

Zoro ignored him and walked over to the railing. It was getting fairly light now. The sun was rising up now, the tip of it peeking over horizon. The island in front of them was...big. Any other form of the word seemed too small. Almost the whole land was wasted on a large grey tower-like building. It was wide enough to cover most of the island, yet ancient, abandoned shops and houses still surrounded the ancient structure.

He looked at the sun again and this time, half of the blood orange object was open to his view and immediately wondered if Sanji could see this from the window they saw.

The chef struggled to stand up but succeeded by sitting against the wall and sliding himself up. Many blood-flakes fell to the floor but Sanji didn't worry about it anymore. His own was now a pretty collection on the floor in the right hand corner. He turned round to look out the glass. For a second he thought it was tinted pink but when he looked behind it, he saw the sky had given this illusion. His vision lowered through the orange and red to see the magnificent orb. If it had a face, its nose would be poking over the top of the sea.

Sanji sighed at the sadness of this situation. He wished he had never said anything to Zoro that day. He wished he could be back on the ship and he wished that Luffy was there to save him.

The familiar sound of metal made a sigh escape his dry lips. He turned around and waited to see who would be next to entertain with blood and...pain.

Viper walked in and cocked his head to the side.

'Isn't this a sad sight? Sanji...desperately wanting to get out and kiss his boss' ass again. Wouldn't you rather work for me?' He said, mocking him with an entertain-the-baby face.

'I thought I was your sad little bait to lure my nakama here? Have you realised that it was a stupid idea?'

'No, I thought of a better one. You see, I'm going to set you free but with a very short lead...for now, that is. Your nakama are going to arrive shortly, I just got informed that their ship is in the distance. Very fine flag is it not?' The man said, smirking.

'C'mon! Spit it out! I_ really_ want to know how I'm gonna suddenly betray my friends!' Sanji shouted. This man really _really _got on his nerves.

'Very well. You are going to run down the corridor they are coming _up _and they are gonna try to get away. You will then say that you know a short cut and lead them into a chamber. There is a way out and you are gonna "try" to open it which won't work obviously – it's only adapted for me!'

He started laughing, his booming voice rebounding off the walls, making the window wobble.

'Ok...so then you're going to kill them all, get their bounties and I will become...'

'My apprentice, exactly!'

'You must be mad...Your parents must have dropped you on the head when you were little! To think I would agree to that insane plot, you must have been!'

'Ah, I never said anything about agreeing. This isn't a choice either. You _will _do what I say because I have _connections _and if you don't do what I want, your nakama's friends and family...yes, yours too, will _die!_ And my Dad _did _drop me a lot on my head. Very slippery hands he had...yes.'

Sanji suddenly decided that this man was more like a child than a man worth a thousand million.

'Ok...yeah, I'll do it.'

'Good, now come with me, we must prepare...'

Sanji's ankles were untied and he walked out of the door, happy to stretch his muscles and happy to finally end all this like a clean cut through a leg of lamb.

Zoro leaned his arms on the wooden rail next to Luffy who was having a hard time controlling his nerves. Every now and again his eye would twitch or his hands would start shaking much to the swordsman's discomfort.

His urge to rip someone's head off was getting stronger and stronger as they neared the island. He looked down into the water which had gotten murkier as they sailed on. It looked...purple to Zoro's vision but he decided he was imagining things.

'That building was created in the 1800's. It was designed for torture chambers, seduction rooms and of course, the main dungeons.' Robin said, coming up behind the tense man.

'Seduction rooms? You don't think...'

'No, they were only used for special events where the guests were allowed to take a pick of women. The letter confirmed torture which means he should be held on the right hand side of the building with a window letting the sunshine in.'

'How do you know all this?' Zoro said through gritted teeth, turning on Robin.

'Research. Torture chambers are always set on the side of a building where the morning sun can shine through. It's partly to wake them up early for another round of torment and partly to keep them sane enough to last for a week. After that, they are disposed of.' She added quietly.

Zoro looked back at the island. The brick wall on the corner of the building was where Sanji was. Where he was hurting.

'Luffy!' Nami called. She walked up to the anxious man who faced her with a grim expression.

'Nami.'

'Don't you think this is a bit strange? This letter has a different purpose than gloating! It's _tempting _us! It's a trap Lu-'

'I know Nami. I couldn't give a bigger shit even if I tried!'

'But Sanji wouldn't want us to die because of him!'

'Nami! This isn't about our _lives _anymore! If one of us dies then so do the rest of this crew! It's what you agreed to when we became nakama!' Luffy shouted. Nami bent her head forward and felt her lips trembling. 'Nami...we won't die. We will do whatever it takes to get Sanji and run. Ok?'

Zoro turned his eyes away from the scene and walked back into the kitchen. When he sat down, he had the crazy urge to do something. He could feel Sanji's presence in the room. He blatantly wasn't there but the swordsman felt a connection to the chef's favourite room.

'The hell with it...Sanji. I know you're probably scared. If you were here you would kick me in the head and call me a shitty swordsman for coming up with such a thing. I miss you. As crazy as this might sound, I miss fighting with you every time we make communication. I miss the food you put so much effort into which I usually say is shit. I miss the way we would disagree with each other just because we didn't want to share the same opinion and I miss your existence on this ship. At the moment, this isn't a pirate crew at all. Not without you. Around about now you would be accusing me of being a faggot and start another fight.'

Zoro sighed and laid his head in his arms on the table. He cursed under his breath. He _did _sound like a faggot. Saying that he missed the shit-head out loud was...disturbing. He knew the saying, "you don't know what you have till it's gone" very well. Many things he hated at the time had disappeared right in front of his eyes, making him realise that he craved for those things. Did he crave for Sanji? Did he _need _Sanji to be in front of him to make him happy again? That's definitely what he felt like. The man he hated filled up so much of his day that when he left, he could feel the empty air flowing from room to room, following Zoro till he was desperate for his friend. That's right... Sanji truly _was _the swordsman's friend deep down. Their fighting was what showed this.

Zoro choked out a laugh at the example he had conjured up. The words "ich liebe dich" in German means "I love you". If those words were spoken to you and you didn't understand the language, it would sound ruder than it would compassionate.

He heard metal scrape against wood and lifted his marimo-head, as Sanji would say. Zoro got up and walked back out into the increasing light. Land hoi...

He looked down into the water once more and stopped in his tracks. The sea was..._red! _The purple colour he had seen earlier was _this! _

'Sanji, if this blood is yours, I'll kill you!' Zoro growled. He gripped the railing with one hand and swung himself over, landing on his feet. He surveyed where they had docked. The shop _Skiller _– which looked out of use now – stood in front of him. He immediately looked at the wall and searched for the small window they had seen in the photo. A shine of glass caught his eye which caused his legs to have a mind of their own. They ran Zoro over to the window right at the bottom of the wall. Most of the room was underground except for the glass pane a foot from the ceiling.

The swordsman lay on his stomach and peered through. 'Shit-cook! Your lazy ass better be in there!'

No reply

'Oi dartboard eyebrows! Say something.'

Still nothing.

'Sanji god damnit!'

Zoro sat back on his shins and sighed in frustration. The hope he had been grasping on the way had now escaped through the gaps in his hands only to flutter in the wind.

'Zoro, we're going in.' Luffy said, looking down at his first mate.

'Yosh!'

The man was washed over with fresh anger. He demanded to know why this Viper guy had taken his friend away. Hell, he wasn't even afraid to admit it now. He was done playing enemies with Sanji!

Luffy and Zoro both led the crew to the entrance nearby without hesitation. Zoro swung his swords at the wood and they fell to the floor as if bowing down in fright. They walked into the dim corridor but didn't stop for anything. No plan needed to be made. This was beyond making plans. This was...they were not leaving without their nakama!

Sanji stood at the end of the long corridor which Viper said his nakama were going to come through. His hands were shaking, not because of the lack of nicotine but because of what he was about to do. The adrenaline and excitement wouldn't stop running through his veins. Part of him knew that this stupid plan wouldn't work but he would give his best shot in the hope that his freedom will be resurrected into something new and wonderful.

*****

I think I'm being really evil in this chapter. Oh well.

Next chapter should be interesting enough right?

Here is the next riddle to unlock the **NEXT CHAPTER:**

You have to figure out the word. The separate riddles below will make it up. Some mini-riddles may give one or more letters to the word. (All in different ways!)

It is in black and blue

It is a letter in the shape of what makes an orange and apple similar

What is S x S in an algebraic form?

3 – 1 (the answer should show you where this letter is)

It is in might once, in mimic twice and in nickel not.

CLUE: the word is seven letters long!

Good luck!


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS

DAMN YOU! STOP GETTING THE RIDDLE SO QUICKLY! *sigh*. Now I have to write chapter 6! I'm not ready for it yet so I think I'll go to bed now, think about it and then write out the plan tomorrow and then...write it. Lol. Goodnight. Xxx

Morning! Ok, I'm up out of bed and ready to write...YAWN.

Enjoy!

*****

The Strawhat crew were now running desperately up the dark corridor. Images of dead, rotting bodies tormented Zoro's mind as his feet brushed past the scurrying rats.

Zoro and Luffy were running at the same pace, wanting to get their nakama back. The rest of the crew followed behind, ready to brave their worst fears of Sanji.

Zoro's ears grew accustomed to the sounds of their feet hitting the stone floor underneath them, so when he heard quick, dainty footsteps that were nothing like what he had been hearing, he stopped.

Luffy looked behind him and stopped too.

'Zoro? What's wrong?'

'Listen.'

The sound was echoing down the passage, getting louder and louder.

The swordsman's eyes strained through the darkness and saw a figure running towards them. The person slowed down suddenly and his knees buckled. He fell to the floor and Zoro immediately ran to him.

It was Sanji. Skin torn to ribbons and bruises appearing on his skin like splodges of purple paint. The man's chest rose and fell quickly whilst groans escaped his lips.

Zoro turned Sanji onto his back who then looked at the swordsman with despair. He violently started to cough, sending specks of blood onto his tattered clothes.

'Sanji? Can you hear me? We're going to get you out of here, ok?'

The chef didn't respond but let Zoro pick him up bridal style.

'Zoro, how is he?' Luffy asked, his hat tilted to hide the tears threatening to spill.

'Bad. It must have taken a lot of energy to run. I think his ribs are broken.'

'Let me fight him'

'Luffy, right now we have to worry about Sanji's health. We can think about revenge when he's safe, ok? Our first responsibility is to get the bastard out of here!'

Luffy nodded and started running to his full speed again.

'Bastard...stop.' Sanji whispered.

'It's going to be ok, I promise! Chopper is at the ship, he will make you better!'

'Shut up a second..._marimo. _There is a short-cut...in the room I was kept in. Viper used it many times...but I never had the time to...check it out.'

'We don't need a shortcut! Viper isn't even chasing us! He's nowhere in sight! We shouldn't take risky chances!' Zoro replied, still running.

'Zoro, damnit! Would you...listen? Viper put hundreds of...bounty heads outside to hold us up if we tried to...escape. He would then come down at his own pace.' Sanji whispered. The pain seared through him like fire.

'But even if we go through a shortcut, wouldn't they fight us anyway?'

'Just trust me for once!'

Zoro stopped and looked into Sanji's eyes and bit his lip.

'Where do I go?'

'Back.'

Sanji guided them through a door and down many corridors. Zoro noted that he seemed very interested in the floor and seemed to be following it with his eyes as if concentrating. It must be a distraction from the pain.

Soon, the corridor led back on itself and seemed to run alongside the passage they came in the first place. When they got to the end of the dark tunnel, Luffy grasped the metal bolt and slid it away from the door.

They entered the room and Zoro gasped at the sight.

'This...this was _your _room?'

'Yeah, let me down.'

Zoro looks at him like he's mental but slowly puts him down.

'All this blood is...' Luffy whispered.

'A good majority of it, yeah.'

Sanji walked over to the wall where the window was and started feeling the big round stones till he found the one he wanted. He curved his fingers around the edge and pulled. He lost grip instantly and fell back into Zoro's arms who wrapped his arms around the chef's waist to support him.

'That damn bastard must have blocked it up. Try it...I might just be weak.' Sanji said, leaning his head back till it reached Zoro's shoulder before untangling himself from Zoro's arms.

Robin looked at Sanji's face and analysed it carefully.

'Something is off here...Sanji? How did you escape in the first place?' She asked.

'I'll tell you when we get out! We don't have much time!' He replied, cursing the woman for once in his life.

'Let's just go the other way, we can beat those-'

'Well, what do we have here? A bounty almost worth 600...'

Viper slammed the door, making the ground vibrate.

Sanji looked at the ground, suddenly interested in the detail of blood, painted on the floor.

'You lose.' He said, straightening his dilapidated clothes.

Zoro didn't know which thought to think first, so many were crowding around his brain that he had to rub his temples with his fingertips. One thought flooded through. What the fuck was going on? Another...This has _got _to be a joke! And again...We're supposed to be nakama for goodness sake!

'Well done Sanji! You did better than I expected! You will make an _excellent _apprentice!' Viper said, moving forward.

Luffy clenched his fists and refused to look at the chef.

'It's a shame I won't see you again. I had some fun with you. I guess...' Sanji said, still piercing his vision through the red stone.

'Sanji you fucking bastard!' Zoro shouted.

Luffy looked up and whispered quietly, 'I don't understand...what's the punch-line? We're...we're supposed to be nakama.'

Sanji met the younger mans eyes and followed to the other outraged pupils. 'Trust me, it's for the greater good.'

Silence flooded the room but that didn't stop Zoro's head from screaming.

What the fucking hell!? That fucking ass-hole! He was screwing with them! For fuck sake! That fucking...arghh!

'Monkey D. Luffy. A _true _pleasure to meet you. We are more in common than it seems. Your head is very interesting to read into.' Viper said. Luffy scoffed in outrage.

'We aren't similar in _any _way!' Luffy screamed. 'I'm not _sick _like you are! I don't get a _kick _out of shedding blood!'

'Ah, we _are _similar...indeed. We both have very high bounties. Yours is lagging behind a bit but it is still enough to frighten someone, no? And don't forget, we both obtain devil-fruits. I can manipulate a person's mind. When I say mind, I mean I can mess with your nervous system, causing pain, or I can connect our thoughts together. Sometimes, if the person is very weak, I can control their emotions and such. Unfortunately I couldn't use that one on Sanji. Anyway, we both have treasures. You with Shanks' strawhat...'

'What do you know about Shanks?' Luffy demanded.

'Not much to be honest with you. Only met the man once, years ago! Although, he will add _very _nicely to my collection!' Viper said, his eyes glistening.

Luffy gritted his teeth together, trying to stop his body from acting on its own.

'Stay away from Shanks! You can't touch him!'

Viper's laugh rebounded off the walls and sent a shiver down Zoro's spine. He didn't like how angry Luffy was getting. This could backfire at any moment.

'What's your treasure?' Luffy snarled, almost covering his ears in order to not hear the following words.

'My collection of blood flowing around this island. Look down.' Viper said, his eyes glistening again.

The ground was covered in tiny holes every inch or so.

'The blood of my victims seep through and into the water. I can't let that colour dilute. And I can't poison it with _weak _blood...'

'Why Sanji? Why do you need him to be your apprentice?' Luffy said quietly.

'He is a very cunning man Luffy. I'm sure you have witnessed some of his work...'

'You're right, I _am _very cunning. Sly like a fox. They say I am a double-crosser at heart.' Sanji said smirking.

'We can see that, dear Sanji! You rounded up your own nakama like sheep!' Viper said, smiling.

Sanji turned his vision to the crew, 'Are you ready? Say your farewells to Viper.'

The Strawhat's looked at their nakama in disbelief, even Robin who's deduction was always spot on.

Zoro unleashed a sword and tried to cut through the blood-soaked stone but the dull sound told him that his strength was not enough to break the barrier around this room. He still didn't know what was going on here. The confusion was swarming his head. What should he do? What _could _he do? What were the options?

An inconceivable pain severed his thoughts as the feeling seared through his bones, scorching them like fire. He could feel his blood pressure rising, making his head throb painfully. His knees buckled underneath him before he dropped to the floor, clutching his head, trying to stop it from exploding.

Viper found amusement as Sanji winced. Zoro's shocked body couldn't move.

'What wrong? Sad to see your nakama hurt? Don't forget what's in store for you in the future!'

Sanji looked down at the floor once again and let his face crumple. He clenched his fists into tight balls, stopping the blood from circulating properly.

He suddenly looked up and snarled, 'I know _exactly _what's in store for me in the future!'

Sanji flipped to a barrel close to him and wrapped his legs around it. The pain was excruciating but he ignored the sensation and threw himself onto his hands. He sprang off the floor and spun in the air before throwing the weight of his lower half down so the barrel smashed to pieces on Viper's head. The liquid inside soaked the man's clothes who could suddenly smell the gassy petrol.

Viper ripped the wood off his body and growled at Sanji. He was about to declare his outrage but he could hear discreet shouting from outside. He looked through the window but saw...wood.

'Why is there a barrel in front of this window? Sanji?' Viper shouted, reaching up to smash a fist through in order to see what the fuss was about.

The words "fire" could be heard over and over again from outside, ringing in Sanji's ears like an echo. He stepped back, the crew automatically copying.

An explosion rang out through the air, split-seconds before the wall crumbled. Fired then rimmed the remaining walls like a barrier, leaving one space free to escape through.

Viper slammed into the back wall and opened his eyes in shock as fire _jumped _from the side of the wall onto his clothes. He started screaming and patting his clothes but the fire just spread to his sleeves like a highly contagious disease.

'Run! Go back to the ship and _leave_!' Sanji shouted over the roars of the fire. He grasped his side and leaned against a wall in pain. He was in no condition to be shoutinglet alone _standing. _All those beatings that took place in this room were far too much to be flipping, kicking and moving.

Everyone looked at Sanji, wondering what to do. Just a minute ago this man was prepared to watch them die, now he was letting them escape?

'Go! Run!' Zoro shouted. Everyone ran except Luffy who stood, looking at the man he thought was his nakama. Now he didn't know what to think.

'Luffy, just go! I've got it!' The swordsman growled at his captain.

He ran.

'Zoro...you damn _bastard!_ Put me..._down! _Get away! He'll...wake up!' Sanji said in-between gasps, groans and wheezes.

'Don't be an idiot. I'm taking you back.' Zoro said quietly in Sanji's ear.

The chef felt an increase in pain as he felt his broken rib pierce his lung. He felt the blood flood his system once more. He coughed, trying to clear the way but it didn't help. Sanji tried to breathe, tangling his fingers in Zoro's top while his body _burned _for air. The burning sensation got worse as Zoro took him outside. Every move dug the sharp bone further and further into his flesh. Closer and closer to his _heart. _

Sanji closed his eyes and let the pain wash away along with his life.

*****

Is Sanji dead? Does he live? WHO KNOWS? (Besides me, that is...)

Ok here it is, I like that fact that I have regular reviewers and I know that a thousand people have read this story because of the story stats but it kind of makes it feel like only 4 people are reading it. It makes me think that story is pathetic...I dunno.

Please give me more reviews. :'(

PWEASE!?

Here is this chapter's riddle:

(ok, it's not exactly a riddle but whatever)

What does ero mean? (from ero-cook)

There we go. I don't actually know what it means. I'll look it up in a second. Lol.

Until next time...and don't forget to review!!!


	7. Chapter 7

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS

What's up guys?

Again...stop getting the damn answer so damn quick! In punishment I will finish this chapter and purposely not publish it for like...a week. Hahaha. More time for more reviews....

Well, this is the chapter you've all been waiting for! Chapter 7! And no, it is not the last one. Viper isn't dead yet...right? Hehe!

Ok, here it is!

*****

He felt his eyelid flicker, reacting to the lack of...being opened.

Sanji forced his eyes open only to see black. Could he still be in that room, blindfolded? No...There wasn't a bed in that room and his arms and legs were lying flat instead of being tied up behind him.

He must be on the ship...but he was sure he had died!

The chef looked in front of him after his eyes got used to the dark. Pain shot through the back of his eye sockets, making it feel like the worst hangover in the world.

Sanji saw Luffy's legs laid sideways on the chair and presumably the rest of his body lying on the floor. Chopper was also asleep, his head lying on the desk he was probably working on.

He then turned his head slightly to the side, earning himself a burning strain in his neck. Zoro sat at the chair beside his bed, eyes open and wary.

'Don't get the wrong impression. Luffy wanted me to keep him company.' Zoro said immediately.

Sanji nodded and laid his head back on the pillow. All the movement was too much for his body.

Silence.

'How long have I been here?'

'Two days.'

Sanji nodded again.

'Could you...wake Chopper up for me?' Sanji asked, now looking at the ceiling.

Zoro got up without a word and gently shook the little reindeer awake.

The doctor ran to his side with a stethoscope and chart, buzzing around, flashing torches in his eyes and so on.

'How long...do I have to stay in bed?' Sanji asked as soon as Chopper seemed finished.

'It all depends on how your body reacts to the medicine. The maximum, I would say, is about two weeks for recovery. I still haven't finished with you. You got a lot of blows to the brain so it still needs to start up again. You're nerves won't be working properly for a few more days. So a normal person would be in bed for about three weeks but seeing as you are not the normal person, it would probably be less.'

'I don't mean to be funny...but I don't feel strong in the slightest. I feel...dead.' Sanji said, heaving as he tried to breathe.

Zoro winced slightly at the thought of Sanji dead.

'Chopper, wasn't there a medicine that you needed to ask his permission for or something?' The man asked, trying to get the image out of his head.

Chopper nodded and sat down on Luffy's chair after pushing the rubber feet off.

'The blood that was in your lung is mostly gone but it is still coated in the fluid that was left. It has dried up but it is preventing you from breathing properly. There is a medicine which will dissolve the blood but there is a side effect which I should inform you of before I give it to you.'

'Which is what?'

Zoro couldn't help but to look on in interest. What kind of side effect would Sanji say no to? Paralysis? Gangrene? A broken nail? He had to stifle laughter and cover it with a short, sharp cough.

'This medicine contains a hormone found in the lower abdomen. It will make you – I guess you could say – horny.'

'Why the fuck would you put hormones in a medicine?' Zoro blurted out.

'Well for this medicine to work, it contains Androstenedione which – from a large dosage – will make your muscles larger by a small degree but will make you a lot stronger. This is needed because the medicine itself is dangerous enough to dissolve right through your lung which is why your weak body needs supplementing.'

'So it's a...steroid?'

'Exactly! It can be secreted from the plasma _and _the male sex organs but I thought it would be more practical to get it from the plasma. Anyway, it will support your lung tissue with a temporary form of muscle which will eventually go away which is what you expect from steroid's.'

Sanji cocked his head to the side, confused.

'I kind of understand. If you take out all the hard words like "secrete" and "plasma" then it's kind of easy...I guess.' Zoro said, scratching his head. Chopper rolled his eyes and turned back to Sanji.

'Just give it to me Chopper. I'm not afraid of a petty desire to jerk off.' Sanji said, rolling his eyes in addition.

Chopper went back to his desk and grabbed an oxygen mask attached to a tank.

'I turned the medication into a gas so you can breathe it into your lungs easily. Put this mask on for five minutes each day. In time the blood should dissolve with no harm to your lung tissue.' Chopper said, turning on the gas pressure when the mask was secured to Sanji's face. 'I...um. I will be back later to check up on you. Uh...the tissues are right next to your bed. Bye!'

Chopper's voice had become squeaky as he desperately ran out of the room, banging the door behind him.

Luffy suddenly jumped up from the floor and looked around the room as if alien's were attacking. He then noticed Sanji with his eyes open and fell serious.

The rubber man took a step closer to the bedside and opened his mouth before clenching them shut. He screwed his hands into fists and swallowed. A shadow from his straw hat covered his eyes making it impossible to see the source of the tears flowing down his face.

'Sanji...tell me. Tell me the whole damn thing was a plot against Viper! Tell me you didn't betray me!' Luffy shouted.

Sanji widened his eyes in shock as the words stabbed him.

'Luffy...I'm not _that _good at acting...am I?' He said, reaching a hand up to wipe the tears from his face. 'I would never _ever _do that to you Luffy!'

The captain then flung himself forward and wrapped his arms around the wounded man who then moaned. The sound surprised him but as he realised there was a tightness in his underwear, he understood what was going on.

He was getting a hard-on as Luffy got more and more emotional. His desire to jerk off was growing. Sanji didn't expect an impact like this...then again Chopper didn't say how bad it would be. Now that he thought about it, that's why he ran out and probably wouldn't come back till evening!

'Luffy?' Sanji said as he pulled the other man's arm's off him. 'How am I alive? I could have sworn I was _drowning_!'

'I don't know. Zoro is the one who brought you here alive and breathing. Ask him.' The boy said, wiping the rest of the tears from his eyeballs.

'Zoro?'

The swordsman was looking down at his hands, fiddling with his fingers.

'Well?'

'Nothing happened, Sanji.'

Sanji decided to ask him again later and concentrated on something else than_ screwing someone! _The pain in his groin was getting too much to bear. His desire to fuck someone senseless was growing with each breathe of the stupid hormone!

He yanked the gas mask off and let his head fall back on the pillow. He looked at his sheets to see if his hard-on was showing on the fabric in any way but fortunately it wasn't...yet.

'How did you plan the whole thing anyway, Sanji?' Luffy asked, sitting down on the chair next to Zoro.

Sanji sighed in relief as the opportunity to distract himself came up.

'I know what I did but I don't actually know how it worked... Basically, Viper came into my room and said his proposal and I accepted in hope that there was some way to get away before you arrived. I couldn't think of anything at all so I just followed him through the corridors.

'Then...um, I had to stay at the end of the corridor you lot were going to run up and wait there for the few hours it took. I decided to do a bit of snooping, wondering if there was a way to double-cross Viper. Eventually I noticed that there were some gun-powder barrel's outside so I placed them against the wall of my torture room. I asked the guys waiting outside for a lighter. No-one seemed to notice that I asked more than one person. In the end I had around 40. I unscrewed them all and trailed a trickle of butane fuel from the barrel and along the edges of the wall. I did such a long trail that I ran out when I was on the highest tower.

'By then, I heard people shouting that you were docking so I lit it with a match I had in my trousers and ran all the way down to the same corridor. I was hoping that it didn't get there before we all did but I guess it worked perfectly.'

Luffy and Zoro didn't say anything. The plan was just too amazing to even blink.

'That's what you were concentrating on so hard when I was carrying you through the corridors?' Zoro asked.

'I didn't think you noticed that. Yeah, I was trying to decide whether the fire had got there yet and burned out or if it was stuck somewhere or if someone put it out. I was really positive that it would run too quickly or someone will stop it in time but it was fine.'

Sanji then let his mind wander to the really uncomfortable feeling in his underwear. If anyone realised what was going on... This was far too embarrassing...

'That is...amazing. How did you even think of that? What about the actual bit in the room? Did you _have _to pretend you were evil?' Luffy asked, clenching his fists again but this time in excitement.

'Actually if you listened to my words and saw my actions, you would realise that I wasn't necessarily saying those things to you...' Sanji said, smirking but letting it falter as his erection throbbed madly.

'You're right... But you were counting on all of us to take it the wrong way...which we did...'

Sanji managed to let out an agreeing murmur.

Zoro sat stunned at the story. He had never heard of such a clever plan in his life. Sanji only had a couple of hours to sort something out and he managed to fix up the whole plan, physical _and _mental parts. He couldn't help but admire his work, especially when he was wounded.

'Luffy! Zoro! Breakfast!' Franky called from the kitchen.

The rubber man shot out of the room before anyone could even register the words said.

Zoro and Sanji are still in the infirmary.

By themselves.

Sanji didn't give a single thought about it and concentrated _hard _about his problem – no pun intended.

Zoro noticed the pained expression on the chef's face but didn't say anything for the moment.

'Your plan was...very clever. Particularly under the circumstances.'

'Thanks...' Sanji whispered. That was all he could manage because of the discomfort.

Zoro nodded slowly and tried desperately not to look at _that area._

He failed miserably as his eyes noticed that the sheets were tented up slightly.

Sanji followed his eye vision and sighed irritably.

'Could you go outside so I can...you know.'

'And how will you do that?'

'Well how do _you _do it?'

'With my _hand._'

'So why the hell can't _I_ do it? I have hands don't I?'

'Chopper gave me direct orders not to let you move an inch. I already let you off with Luffy.'

'_Why the fuck would he _do_ that?'_

Zoro couldn't help but laugh. The situation was just so damn funny.

'Screw it. I'll do it anyway'

Zoro stops laughing and sighs.

'I can't let you.'

'Well what do you want me to do!? I can't even have a fucking cold shower!'

'I'll do it.'

Sanji looked at him as if he had mad cow disease.

'It's my apology for letting this happen in the first place.'

Sanji started to get angry, 'It was _my _fault...remember? I overreacted and got shot and captured and I couldn't even escape!? Right?'

Zoro's eyes widened in shock.

'How could you blame yourself for what happened?' Zoro said.

'Quite easily. If only I didn't run off.'

'If only I wasn't so nasty! If only you didn't overreact! If only I welcomed a chance of a new friendship! If only you didn't cut yourself! If only I didn't help you in the first place! If only there was a fucking shop selling cigarettes on that fucking island! Don't get stuck in the fucking land of "if only" Sanji! You'll lose yourself. What happened, happened!'

Sanji stared at Zoro, stunned at the outburst. Despite the general emotion theme of Zoro's words, Sanji's erection was getting harder and harder to withstand.

'Now will you let me relieve you?' Zoro asked, calming down.

Sanji's crotch throbbed hard with joy at the words. The cook didn't have the power in him to say no so he just kept quiet.

'I'm taking this silence as a yes...right?'

The blonde man's silence confirmed his words.

Zoro shifted his chair much closer to the bedside and slid his hand under the covers. His fingers brushed Sanji's hand, causing him to moan. The swordsman took his hand away quickly and held his breath. He started to venture again, avoiding any flesh until he got to his destination.

The side of the chair was against the side of the bed so Zoro was facing Sanji. The sounds of Luffy and the rest of the crew could be heard from the kitchen. They didn't have long.

Zoro let his hand slide under Sanji's silk boxers and quickly gripped his pulsing manhood. The chef moaned loudly at the touch, his hips wanting to buck up.

The swordsman lifted his spare index finger and rested it on his lips. A signal telling him to be quiet.

Zoro started to move up and down, feeling the full length of Sanji who grabbed the sheets beneath his hands, crumpling them up. Soon the green-haired man was pumping fast and hard. The cylinder his hand was making soon got smaller and smaller, making Sanji certain that he was going to come faster than ever before. He began swearing under his breath and biting his lip.

Zoro's thought were empty...blank, as his hand was thrusting faster and faster. He couldn't think of anything. The only senses working properly for him were sight, sound and his skin receptor's which were, metaphorically speaking, on fire.

Sanji clenched his eyes closed as he felt close to coming. Zoro noticed almost immediately and made the circle tighter. While he did so, he reached with his other hand for a tissue which joined the action under the sheets.

The chef spilled his seed into the white material and fell unconscious. The use of muscles from the orgasm was too much against his weak body.

Zoro's thoughts came flooding in again but they were all to do with something irrelevant to the situation. Either he was trying to avoid it or he felt that it was so natural that he didn't _need _to think about it.

He threw the tissue in the bin and straightened out the covers. At that moment Luffy burst in the door.

'Zoro! Nami says that you have to have breakfast otherwise you owe her 10000 Beri!'

Zoro looked at Luffy for a moment before walking out mumbling, 'Baka sea-witch...'

*****

I really couldn't think of a better ending for this chapter. It's so random that I know the people who review will be outraged at the randomness... :S

That was probably my first yaoi action so...yeah. Don't be too horrible...

Here is the thing for the NEXT CHAPTER!

List ALL of Sanji's nicknames!

Clue: There is no clue...this should be easy enough...

Until next time my readers! REVIEW! PLEASE! :D


	8. Chapter 8

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS

WARNING!

YAOI

DO NOT READ THE THREE YEARS LATER BIT IF YOU DO NOT LIKE BOY ON BOY!

*****

Sanji's legs were just _begging _to move. This was definitely not on the chefs list of favourite "hobbies". He found himself lying in bed for _hours_, looking at the woods "finger-print" on the ceiling. Depression washed over him quickly as the clock's tick-tocking drove Sanji mad.

He didn't like staying in bed all day. Nothing to do, no one to fight, no one to _cook _for! He felt useless, confined to this damn bed! He wanted to move his hands and feel the heat of the cooker. He wanted to watch Nami-swan sunbathe and he wanted to have another piss-take fight with that damn marimo-bastard! So why the heck was he here do _nothing!_

A knock came to the door so he sat into the "allowed" sitting position, deciding to welcome the visitor enough so that he or _she_ would stay. Just the thought of Nami-swan or Robin-chwan sitting by his bed with a wet towel, dabbing his forehead with worry made his eye dissolve into a throbbing, pink heart!

Zoro opened the door with one hand while balancing a tray of food on the other, setting Sanji's fantasies on fire. The swordsman actually worried about the man. Although the wounds were on their way to healing, he didn't like the fact that Viper was _alive! _He was still a threat to Sanji's life.

Sanji looked at the badly-made food and frowned. He decided that Nami couldn't cook. Her cooking skills were worse than _Luffy's! _He wanted to eat the mess because he strongly believed that all cooking should be worshipped but most of it was..._black._

'What's that face for shit-cook? Not hungry?' Zoro asked, walking over and putting the breakfast down on the bedside table.

'No, not really.' Sanji mumbled. A loud grumble gave away the white lie.

'Why don't you want to eat?' Zoro asked, sitting down. He still didn't know why he cared this much. He knew Sanji was his friend. He admitted it to himself when he was raging through Viper's damn building/castle _thing. _

'I'm not hungry.'

'I heard your stomach, baka.'

'I'm not hungry damnit!'

'I would have thought you would know better than to skip meals, curlicue.' The swordsman replied.

'Why are you being so damn nice to me?' Sanji suddenly asked. His head was bent down, shadowing his angry eyes.

'I thought you wanted that. The whole reason you walked off by yourself is because I was being horrible.'

'I don't mean that. Why are you, after saying you hated me, being so..._nice?' _

Zoro groaned and ran his fingers through his hair.

'I didn't _mean_ it, idiot!'

'Then why say it in the first place?'

'Because-'

'Because what Zoro?'

'I don't know.'

Sanji sighed and looked at the knees brought up to his chest.

'I don't understand Zoro. Please. I just want to understand.'

Zoro looked at the man in shock. He sounded really sorrowful; like he just wanted to cry.

'Sanji...'

'I'm stuck here; confused at _everything _that's going on around me: Us, shitty Viper, my dream, my shitty future. Everything is just jumbled up so badly that I can't make any fucking sense of it. _Nobody _should be left to think this much. The more you think, the more things become so damn confusing! It's driving me fucking mad Zoro!' Sanji looked up at the other man. Tears glistened in his eyes.

'So...you want me to tell you?' Zoro asked, furrowing his eyebrows. This rare side of Sanji was sad to look at.

'Please.'

Zoro looked at the other man, not sure if he wanted to show emotions. Of course he had emotions but The Roronoa Zoro didn't cry, cheer people up, or admit to friendship out loud. But...this was for Sanji...

'Us...we were always friends. We just showed it...differently. It's not like we actually tried to _kill_ each other. Those things I said...I only said them because I hadn't realised you were my friend. When you were taken away from me...I couldn't bare it; the silence, the empty air. I...really missed you.'

Sanji stared at Zoro. Was he really saying these things? That didn't really matter. The words he just spoke made him feel..._alive_!

'That's just...made everything better again. All the strings...and knots are...untied again. Those words mean...a lot to me. Thank you.'

Zoro felt the pink flush appear on his cheeks and bent his head down. That was so damn embarrassing. As soon as this guy was up and running again, he was gonna kick his ass for making him say that. He looked back up at the man who gave a small smile and suddenly realised that Sanji needed those words to be spoken.

'You should eat. How are you going to get better if you starve yourself?'

'Who said I was starving myself, Jackass!?'

Zoro started laughing, the sound carrying itself around the room.

Sanji listened to it, intrigued.

Zoro got a pack of playing cards from the table draw and removed the cardboard outside.

'Poker?'

'Sure.'

Zoro got Chopper's white medicine table and quickly put all the medicine bottles on the floor. He dealt the cards quickly.

Sanji decided that he liked Zoro when he was like this...when he was nice.

Zoro couldn't leave Sanji. Not like this. He knew how depressed the man must still be, listening to everyone else having fun outside while he was stuck here...doing nothing. He had a lot of recovery to be getting on with.

'Oi oi, you only gave me two shitty cards!'

Zoro laughed; three cards in his mouth. Sanji couldn't help but find the image cute.

They played five rounds overall and Sanji came out victorious. Zoro wasn't sure if he let him win or if he was just so captivated by the joyful expression on his face that he couldn't concentrate.

'I win shit-bag!'

'Whatever ero-cook...'

Sanji had eaten his breakfast long ago but Zoro didn't leave, he didn't _want _to leave. He stayed to keep the other man company.

'Oi, oi! I got one! What do you call a shitty swordsman who can't pronounce his S's?'

Zoro frowned.

'I don't know. What do you call a swordsman who can't pronounce his S's?'

'A Word-man.'

Zoro stared at the chef, still frowning.

'That was the _worst-_'

'I'd like to hear better from _you!_'

'Actually I'm good at jokes _prince of retardia!_'

'Oh yeah? Make me laugh!'

'What do you call a cook with a testicle and a half?'

'I don't know Zoro. Please tell me, I'm _dying _to know!'

'A cock.'

Sanji cracked a smile but held his lips together.

'Not good enough, marimo, another one.'

Zoro nodded and pretended to think. He clicked his fingers and leaned forward. He cleared his throat.

Sanji rolled his eyes but when he turned his vision back to Zoro he wasn't there. The chef looked around the room.

'The only thing that could possibly be funny about this is if you- AHHHH!'

Sanji couldn't stop laughing. It was so damn hard to breathe, Zoro's spider-fingers running their way along his sides.

'Z-Z-ZORO! Stop! Ha-ha-ha!'

Zoro laughed with the man, their voices loud enough to be heard by the crew out on deck.

***

Sanji woke up the next day, having dreamt of bad jokes and lots of tickling. He sat up and stretched, giving a loud yawn. Straight away, he thought about Zoro. Where he was, what he was doing, when he was going to see his new friend again...

The door suddenly opened and Zoro walked in. Déjà vu hit Sanji him on the back of the head but vanished as he saw some differences from yesterday. The swordsman was holding _two _plates, he was _chewing _and he greeted him...differently.

'Awake Cock-face?'

Sanji stared at him in shock. He's actually gonna use that joke as an excuse for a brand-new nickname!? He felt himself blush at the new immature man in front of him. Sanji liked him this way so much more. They could..._converse._

'Nope, still sleeping, Word-man.'

'That's just gay-sounding Cock-face.' Zoro replied, putting the breakfast tray on the bedside table like the day before.

'Shut it shit-face!'

'Maybe you should make better jokes next time.' Zoro said, smirking. 'Cock-face.'

Sanji groaned, not liking the permanent nickname.

'So Cock-face, did you-'

Sanji jumped on him.

They both landed in a heap on the hard ground.

'_Ever _say that again, and _you _will be the one with _no _shitty testicles!' Sanji growled. Zoro laughed harder and harder till he rolled on his front.

'AHHHH! SANJI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT OF BED!?' Chopper screamed.

Sanji started laughing, clutching his stomach as it started to hurt.

Chopper ushered him into bed, firmly telling both Sanji and Zoro for letting it happen. When he left, Zoro started his laughathon again.

'Oi, oi! It wasn't _that _funny!'

'It bloody _was!'_

He calmed down and picked up his bowl of Miso soup.

'Were you sitting outside the door?'

'Yeah. I was bringing your breakfast but you were asleep so I thought you might freak out if you woke up to my face.'

'True. I'd have a heart attack waking up to that ugly mug.'

'Not funny Sanji.'

'_I_ think it was.'

'Well think again. You're the one who curls their eyebrow and has a cock for a face...'

'I do not! They grow like that! And stop talking shit about my face!'

'Whatever...'

Slurping soon replaced the sound of words.

'Zoro?'

'Yeah?'

'What happened to your parents?'

Zoro choked on his soup and looked up at the other man.

'Why?'

'I dunno. None of us know your childhood story. I was curious.'

'I was an orphan and I had no home.'

'That's...sad.' Sanji looked at the other man, knowing how it felt to have no parents and no real home. Sure he had the restaurant to live in but it wasn't _home_, it was just a place to sleep, eat and work.

'Being born into that lifestyle made it normal for me. I used to travel around villages, defeating all of the dojo guys. It was kind of fun.'

'So then what?'

Zoro told Sanji his childhood, wondering why it was so easy to open up like this.

'She _died!?_' Sanji asked in shock. His mysterious jealousy melted away and was replaced with pity.

'Yeah, she was my goal as a child. If I could just beat her, I could be the best!'

'Did she at least die in fight?'

Zoro scoffed and then laughed a little.

'No, she fell down the stairs.'

'And that's _funny?_' Sanji exclaimed, punching Zoro lightly on the arm. The touch felt red-hot.

'Not really but I was expecting her to die from a sword...not from _tripping!' _Zoro said, sighing.

Sanji nodded, understanding.

'Anyone can just suddenly die on you. The things that surround us now could quite easily kill us purely by accident of course.' Sanji said, looking at his hands, messing around with the covers.

'Yeah, Luffy could die just by falling off a flipping rail and Mihawk could die by...falling down some stairs.'

'Bet you would laugh at _that_.'

'At what? Luffy or Mihawk?'

They laughed in unison.

'Goodnight shit-head.' Sanji called later that evening as Zoro walked out the door.

'Nighty night lil' eggplant!'

'Shut it before I plug it' Sanji replied, wishing he never told him of his childhood nicknames.

'Whatever stringbean.'

The door closed and Sanji sighed, feeling the depression weigh on his shoulders once again. His eyes began to close, slipping into sleep.

'_Sanji!'_

_He obeyed the silent order and opened his eyes. He could only see black except his own body which glowed in the dark like a ghost. He didn't take in his surroundings or who the voice belonged to. He let the dream drift like a spider-web strand caught in the breeze._

'_You are still weak...good.' The voice said. Sanji listened, interested in the words but, again, he felt no need to worry._

_A pain speared through his head for a moment before disappearing._

'_That should do it! Have a good night sleep Sanji...I will see you in a week's time...'_

_The darkness dissolved into a Paradise of All Blue..._

Sanji felt his healing body start up like a machine in the late morning. He opened his sore eyes and looked around. Why did he feel so weird?

'Oi, Sanji, you awake yet?' Zoro called out, letting himself him. 'Morning! I promised to tell you the other half of the story in the Barrack Mountains.'

'Why the _fuck _would I want to hear it?' Sanji asked frostily. The swordsman furrowed his eyebrows, confused.

Sanji could have kicked himself in the head for being so nice to the damn bastard the last couple of days! He felt a strong determination to be cold and horrible to the man.

'You were begging me yesterday so I thought...'

'Get out.'

'Sanji? Are you ok?' Zoro said, coming closer.

'Did you fucking hear me?'

'I came to bring you breakfast.' Zoro said weakly. He couldn't help but hurt inside. Sanji had been so keen to hear his stories yesterday, what changed? Maybe he wanted to be on his own today. Did Zoro overcrowd him yesterday?

'I don't want breakfast.'

'It's good for you.'

'I don't give a shit! Get out!'

Zoro frowned and left the tray on the table. He left the room with his own bowl and went straight to Chopper.

'Oi, Chopper! Have you given Sanji some kind of knew medicine or something?'

'No, why? You didn't give him anything did you!?' Chopper screamed jumping up.

'No, no. He's acting...crabby.'

'It's probably because he can't move about. That's all.'

'I don't think that's it. He shouted for me to get out and that he didn't want breakfast.' Zoro replied, chewing on his bottom lip. He would hate to know that he had caused the chef's uncomforting experience.

'That's strange; he was getting along with you yesterday. Let me see him, he needs his ten-thirty med's anyway.' Chopper said, walking towards the infirmary. He opened the door and walked in.

Zoro sat down against the wooden wall and sighed. Muffled shouts could be heard from inside. The little reindeer walked out, a grim expression on his face. Zoro stood up to analyse the expression on Chopper's face.

'He wouldn't let me _near _him!'

'CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRR!'

Luffy shouted, running towards the two men.

'How's my cook doing?'

'I don't think it's a good idea to go in today, Luffy.' Chopper said, fiddling with his hooves.

'Why not?' Luffy replied, not looking for an answer as he pushed the door wide open.

'Sanji! Hurry up and get better! I want a HUGE meat feast!'

'Give me a chance will you? Why don't you learn to cook yourself?' The two men heard Sanji say before giving a small laugh.

Zoro frowned once again that morning and sat back down. Sanji must want someone knew to talk to. One person _can _get a little boring...

The man sat outside the infirmary throughout the day in case something was to happen. If Luffy was out mucking around somewhere and Sanji needed help then...Zoro would be there. Even though he was hurt by the other man's words, he still cared about his health. Sanji was his _friends _after all!

The tedious days Zoro spent serving Sanji's meals, getting into the same fight about not wanting to eat and then coming back later to collect the polished plate added up to a week. The swordsman's weights were hidden in the back of his mind as much more important events seemed to squeeze its way the front.

Everyday Sanji's behaviour got worse. Everyday Chopper would be panicking about the cook not receiving medicine. Everyday Zoro and the reindeer got more suspicious. Everyday Luffy would be walking out of that same room, laughing and calling out farewells as if everything was ok. Everyday Zoro was broken down, bit by bit. What could he do?

***

Luffy whistled a cheerful tune that morning as he walked along the corridor. He stopped by Zoro's unmoving feet once again that week and smiled.

'He will be glad to know that you worry about him.'

Zoro mumbled and laid his hands over his crossed legs.

The Strawhat Captain walked into the infirmary, sporting a cheesy grin.

'Morning San-'

The snarl on Sanji's face stopped Luffy's nerves from working properly. The man was sitting up, head bent down with his eyes closed. His skin was crumpled up by his face muscles.

The teenager couldn't help but compare the expression to Lucci's when he was in cat form. The menacing growl rippling through his skin...He shivered. He didn't want to think about Lucci anymore.

Luffy took a few small steps towards the other man, 'Sanji, are you ok?'

Sanji opened his bloodshot eyes and moved the unusual dot-like pupils towards Luffy. The chef growled loudly and sprang at the man. He punched the surprised boy in the stomach making him groan. Sanji didn't know why he was using his hands but it felt right all of the sudden.

Luffy felt the bitter iron-taste in his mouth and spat out the red substance.

'Shit...Sanji!'

Sanji smirked, grabbing the knife from his breakfast plate. He sat on Luffy's stomach and forced his weight down. He held the blade against the boys throat and pushed.

Luffy looked into his nakama's eyes and felt his chest hurt. Why was Sanji trying to _kill _him? And why wasn't he fighting back? He was stronger than this man but...the punch to the stomach he got was excruciating. Sanji was strong...too strong to believe.

Zoro swung the door open, letting it smash into the wall.

'Oi Sanji! What the hell do you think you're doing!?' Zoro shouted, pulling the man off and gripping his long, slender arms together.

Sanji retaliated, shoving the swordsman against the wall. Zoro stared at the hands around his neck. It was another thing to add to all the changes he had gone through. The incredible strength fixed him to the wall as if he was _part _of the wood.

'Don't get in my way you fucking asshole! Go and fucking _die!_'

Zoro stared into Sanji's eyes in shock. Why was he saying this to him? They were friends a few days ago and now he was at his throat! He felt his chest throb as the words sank into his heart again and again. Why was he hurting so much over it? It should feel natural to hurt over the words but it just felt _weird_! It's almost like he _likes _the guy! But that's not possible. He doesn't like men...but he doesn't really like women much either. At least, he didn't like the ones which were like Nami...which is basically all of them. Maybe he did actually like the man. He wasn't unlovable, even for other guys. He really _could _be attracted by Sanji.

'_Sanji...'_

The staring match came to an end when Sanji pushed himself off the warm body. He surveyed the room before walking out onto the deck. He dropped off the wooden railing and started running for the back of the island where the cliffs were located.

Sanji made it there in ten minutes. His added strength allowed him to push off the ground more so his steps were lighter and quicker. He didn't know how he knew where to go or why he was even betraying his nakama but he knew that it was what he had to do.

Sanji dropped down a hole and let the darkness engulf him. The edge of the cliff was hidden well behind a handful of bushes and trees.

He ran blindly down the straight passage, somehow knowing that there would be no corners to run into. In two minutes, the black, looming walkway widened into a well-lit hall.

Viper stood up from the ground and greeted him with an evil smirk. The chef scoffed in return.

'Why the fuck am I here, shitty bastard?'

'I am happy with your progress Sanji. The friendship with Zoro was an unexpected bonus. He would be the first one to arrive.' The man said, smirking. 'I have gotten better from the devious trick you played last week. I have built myself to a higher level and you too!'

'What are you talking about shit-head?'

'Oh, no worries...'

***

'I think something is wrong with Sanji.'

'No, really? You know, I don't think I noticed anything!' Zoro said rolling his eyes. 'He just tried to _kill _you, Luffy! Of course something is fucking wrong!'

'I think its Viper.' Luffy said, shuddering as Chopper dabbed a cotton bud on his cut throat. 'I think Viper manipulated him when he was weak...just like he said that time.'

'To be honest, he was acting just fine the first two days he came back and then one morning he was just...different. Right Chopper?' Zoro said.

Chopper nodded.

'Why didn't you tell me before? We could have stopped it!' Luffy said, swiping away Chopper's hand.

'We thought he was just being tetchy so we were going to see what happened!' Chopper said, his tears welling up.

'Don't blame Chopper, Luffy. We just thought he was in a mood with us or something.' Zoro said, sighing. 'I really don't know what to do.'

'Zoro, get him back. Right now! Chopper, go with him.'

'Why aren't you coming? You're the Captain!'

'Zoro...I don't- I don't trust myself. I won't be able to lay a hand on him. He was about to _kill _me even though I was still able to fight him off. I just can't do it.' Luffy whispered. 'Bring him back...please! Even if it means half killing him!'

Zoro looked at Luffy, not understanding the emotions misting over the said words. He nodded and turned for the door, not able to look at the sad face any longer. He had his own emotions to get used to.

'Zoro?'

'Yeah?'

'Don't listen to what he said. He didn't mean it.'

'Yeah...I know.' Zoro replied. It didn't matter if Sanji hated him anymore because he was _in love _with the love-cook.

***

'Zoro! It's _this _way!'

'Yeah yeah! I know!'

'Zoro! Go left! NO ZORO! That's right!'

'Shut it!'

Chopper's nose soon led them to a cliff. Zoro stood in the middle of the bush and looked down the hole wondering how deep it was. He dropped a stone down and heard the _thud _quite quickly.

'Chopper, stay up here.'

'Sure.'

Zoro jumped down, landing on his feet. He couldn't see which way the passage ran so ran slowly through it, keeping his hand sliding on the left wall.

Four minutes of running and the tunnel ran into massive stone room. Sanji stood in the middle, arms by his side, cigarette in his smirk...

He was ready to kill him.

Zoro wasn't.

He couldn't do this.

His heart was racing.

How could he hurt Sanji?

The man he had shared his laughs, games, jokes and _life stories _with, seemed to materialize in front of Zoro before slating him in the head with his fist. He flew across the room and into the wall.

'Shit, what kind of strength _is _this?' Zoro asked himself as he stood up. The dent in the stone was impressive but gave his body grief.

Sanji appeared once more and kicked him in the stomach so hard that his body was sent crashing into the ceiling. As he fell, he removed his swords and put them in position. Zoro landed deftly on his feet and growled.

Sanji couldn't help but let his heart vibrate to the sound. He found it strangely...hot.

Zoro lunged forward and slashed at Sanji, using the back of his swords. The chef dodged all the attacks and ran up his left arm with incredible speed and weight, crushing his foot into the stunned face. Sanji back-flipped onto his feet and watched Zoro fall back.

Zoro stayed on the floor, hand to his nose. It was broken all right. Chopper could fix it later. The swordsman panted as every vein started to pump blood to all the small wounds.

He looked up at Sanji, not sure what to do. He could get up but that wouldn't help him save the man he loved.

Sanji walked towards Zoro and stopped at his head. He grabbed a fistful of green hair and pulled it up. The other man was forced to sit up as the chef brought his face close.

'Sanji, damnit! Those two days...really changed how I feel about you. They have changed _me. _I've realised today...I think I love you Sanji.' Zoro said, closing his eyes, waiting for a punch in the jaw.

'What the fuck? Who the fuck would go _near _an ugly freak like you? You know what they say about faggots...they're so damn desperate for a fuck that they would screw a _man_ up the ass. Those are the kind of perverted people who _need _to die in order for everyone to be fucking happy!'

Sanji threw him across the room with more amazing strength. Zoro smashed head-first next to the first dent. It took a few seconds to come back to reality and remove the rubble from his body. His head was bleeding badly. Chopper would be busy tonight patching him up.

Sanji looked at the pathetic man. He took a step forward in order to kill him but his body suddenly froze. It didn't want to move anywhere at all. Part of him didn't want Zoro to die. _None _of him even knew why he wanted to do this, it's just how he felt.

He called a couple of underlings to take the man away and they complied.

Zoro cursed himself over and over again. This was so damn dishonourable that he wished Sanji had just killed him. No...That man wasn't Sanji. He wasn't a single _fragment _of Sanji!

Zoro climbed out of the hole after stumbling around for a while and crawled forward a bit. He felt Choppers warm body next to his own as he cough up some blood.

'Get on my back.'

Zoro climbed on and grasped the reindeer's muscled neck. He didn't need the lift but accepted it. He needed to think about what he was going to say to Luffy when he got back. The Captain was going to be _furious _with him. He failed as a first mate...

***

He was back at the docks. He wasn't ready to face Luffy so when he looked up at the ship and saw the rubber-man standing on the rail with a look of _concern _he inwardly jumped for joy.

'I'm sorry Luffy, really...' Zoro said once again after he finished his shameful anecdote. Luffy listened to the short story his first mate told and looked at him. He was clearly miserable with himself.

Zoro felt like breaking down right there and crying. Chopper sat quiet, afraid to say anything or make a noise.

'Zoro...It's ok. It's fine. Everything is going to be ok.' Luffy pulled the other man into a hug.

Tears came to Zoro's eyes and started streaming down his face. Luffy felt the wet drops land on his shoulder and closed his eyes. Zoro tightened his grip around his Captain's waist, holding on for dear sanity.

Everything was perpetually getting worse. Their nakama was being controlled by a man that the crew can't beat. Zoro was in _love _with that nakama. That nakama was so damn strong now that he couldn't even obey an order to bring him back.

'I promise you Zoro, We will get him back. You'll see. We'll kick that guy's ass together, ok? Zoro?' Luffy said, pushing the man away from him. His new-found confidence in himself shone out. He knew he had to do this as a Captain...for Sanji's wellbeing.

'No...Luffy, I can't go. I can't face him anymore.' Zoro replied, wiping his face dry.

'I...understand Zoro. At least think about it though. I'm...surprised at how Sanji can be controlled so easily. I would have thought his will is strong. But we _will _get him back. He didn't mean anything he said!'

Zoro shrugged and looked to the ground. 'Thanks Luffy. I'd appreciate it if you...don't tell anyone. You too Chopper.'

Zoro sighed and stepped into his room. He just didn't know what to do with himself anymore. Sure he had his dream to follow but right now, _right now _is probably the most dramatic part of his life. He felt like he was holding his future in his hands but it was crumbling down right in front of his eyes and he can't catch all the pieces before they hit the ground and-

He was being plain stupid now. What happened to _Zoro_? This wasn't like him! But then again...everyone seems to be changing personalities these days; he might as well join in. Maybe a new person is a better person?

Again, he deserved a smack on the back of the head. Zoro was Zoro. Nothing was going to change that. Except now he was in love with _Sanji _of all people. A _man_! Well, the rest of him won't change! This was just a not-so-boring hurdle he needed to smash through. Things will sort out. Sanji will come back to them somehow or other.

He used to be so damn annoyed at Sanji when he came bursting in the door when he didn't come for dinner. He could never help but to sleep in the late afternoon sun but the chef didn't stop for excuses.

There Zoro was, lying on his bed thinking like the craziest man in the world. He heard Luffy call the crew to the kitchen to tell them the news. Zoro didn't think it was necessary that he went; they would all just stare for one reason or another. And damn Robin is to damn perceptive! She probably knew way before even _he _knew!

Chopper opened Zoro's door suddenly and walked in, his muggy footstep sounds being the only thing that filled the air besides depression.

'Can I...treat your wounds?' He asked.

Zoro sat up and looked at Chopper's scared, teary eyed face and sighed. He had refused him earlier but seeing him like this was like someone squeezing his heart.

'Sure.'

The little Reindeer closed the door and walked over to Zoro. Chopper cleaned a gash on the swordsman's arm and started to wrap it in a bandage. Soon, sobs could be heard from the little animal and Zoro closed his eyes, pained at the sound of his little friend hurting.

Zoro pulled the little creature into his arms and hugged him tight.

'You heard what Luffy said earlier. It's going to be ok...'

'You- you don't sound so sure!' Chopper wailed.

'It's...a lot for me to take in today. There is probably more on my shoulder's than yours.'

'Really?'

'Yeah, just think about what I found out about myself today. And that person is being..._controlled _by some pathetic maniac I can't even touch! Do you know how it feels when you can't protect the person you love?'

'Sorry.'

'Sorry for what? You didn't do anything!'

'I'm crying to you about the same thing but you are finding it harder to take than I am!'

Chopper wailed into the strong arms wrapped around him.

'Chopper. Shh, it's fine.'

He pulled out of the hug looked into Chopper's blood-shot eyes.

'You need to be strong Chopper. Just this once, _just this once _I will carry your fears. You need to...forget about them while you fight for Sanji. Ok? Your first priority is bringing Sanji home. Do a much better job than I did. Ok? That's an order from the first mate.'

Chopper wiped his nose on his fury arm and sniffled. He followed it with a nod and a wobbly smile.

'I hope my fears aren't too heavy.'

'Like a feather.'

Chopper gave a gurgled laugh and returned to bandaging Zoro's arm.

***

'Zoro! You coming!?' Luffy said, popping his head around the door.

'No, Sorry, I need to look after some little fears.' Zoro said, pressing his hand down on Chopper's hat making the animal giggle and then sniffle loudly.

Luffy nodded and left the room, chopper following behind.

Zoro listened to the crew leave the ship and then lay back down on the covers.

How could he look Sanji in the face ever again? He knows that he is madly in love with him. What will he say to him when they get him back? _Will _they get him back?

Luffy jumped down the hole and somehow managed to land on his head. He stood up and brushed the dirt off his hat. He put it on.

'Yosh!'

He ran ahead of the crew at top speed. After around half a minute, he came to a mysterious chamber. He stopped at the entrance when he saw Viper and Sanji.

The rest of the crew came up behind him and gasped. They hadn't seen the "new" Sanji yet and now that he was in front of their widened eyes, they couldn't help but be surprised by the sinful snarling man that met their vision.

Viper sat against the far wall with his legs crossed. Along that same wall were three more passages leading to somewhere Luffy couldn't give a fistful of shit about.

Sanji let a growl rip through his throat and crawl up everyone's spines like an animal, stabbing its claws into their bones.

'I see the faggot realised I was right. What a fucking shame. He could have made a good dog.' The blonde man said, smirking.

'You BASTARD!' Luffy shouted in rage. He swung a fist in Sanji's direction who quickly stepped out the way. Luffy knew Viper was mucking around with his emotions to make him angry but he didn't want to stop the feeling frenzying through his veins.

Chopper turned into Horn Point and charged towards his nakama. Sanji made a move to kick his sideways but numerous amounts of arms held his leg into place. Chopper got near and slammed his horns into Sanji's body. Robin let go at the right time and the chef was thrown to the ceiling. He groaned and fell back down.

Viper took in the scene greedily, enjoying the fight. One way or another, he would get Sanji's bounty along with the rest...it didn't matter how.

Franky detached his hand and let the aimer rest on Sanji's image.

'WEAPONS LEFT!'

The chef disappeared in a mist of smoke. Franky attached his hand and took his nun-chucks out of its casing. He swung them round and round till it became a blurring fan-like image. He ran forwards and let the metal fly through the air. It hit something.

Franky backed off, letting Usopp step forward.

'This is...this is for your own good Sanji! HISSATSU SANREN KAYAKU BOSHI!'

He shot the triple gunpowder star towards Sanji who kicked the pellet out the way, smirking.

Usopp's legs started shaking in fear.

Meanwhile, Nami had been preparing her thunder tempo and was now ready to send up the electric sphere.

'THUNDER TEMPO!'

Lightning shot through Sanji's body, causing it to vibrate for a moment and drop. After a minute, he got himself up again without much difficulty but he still felt the static strings playing around in his system.

Robin sprang more arms from the ground, holding both of the chef's legs in place while Luffy did a run up. He stretched his arms behind him and waited till he was close enough. When this condition was met, he retracted his limbs back.

'BAZOOKA!'

***

Zoro ran down the passage, hoping that he would get there in time. Luffy was pissed black. The swordsman knew that he would go too far.

He came to the opening and saw Sanji slam into the back wall. Viper looked to his left in amusement at the new hole in the wall.

Sanji rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He couldn't move an inch. What was going on? He was meant to be strong! But...he didn't want to fight them. Why was he fighting them?

Viper was too distracted to bother with the chef's thoughts as he smirked at Zoro's paled face.

_This is so damn stupid! He can't just lie there! He had to bring Sanji back! He had no right to sit there and do nothing! He needed Sanji to help him through this even if he didn't think anything of Zoro in the first place! Just his presence is enough!_

Sanji fought against the temptation to get up and fight again. He just couldn't do it anymore. He closed his eyes and tried to picture the good times he had with Zoro when he was at his worst.

Zoro froze at the sight in front of him. Sanji's head tilted to the side, his hair covering almost both his eyes at once. His furrowed eyebrows relaxed as if all pain had vanished.

Was he dead?

The swordsman clenched his eyes shut and dropped to his knees. What was going to happen now? Luffy killed the person he loved! How was he going to continue! Sanji felt...even more special to him that Kuina was!'

'Z-Zoro...'

Zoro opened his eyes like lightening and surveyed the vulnerable-looking man a good seven metres away. An expression of fear and panic was spread across the wounded man's face.

Memories of the things he did to his nakama. He _hurt _Luffy! And then Zoro...

Sanji's eyes widened at the stringed words which formed a knife through his nakama's heart. He pressed his face against the ground, wishing he could vanish. How could he be controlled so _easily_! Zoro must be feeling...worse than death! Sanji knew all about feelings even if it was a man aching for another of his gender...

Luffy bent down and held his knees. 'Why...Why are you doing this to us? I was happy enough to fight back for Sanji...hurting him was fine as long as he was allowed back in my life again. But _you! _You ruined it!'

'You are the one who did it Strawhat.' Viper said, getting up from his place on the ground. He whistled and two men came from the first passage behind him.

Luffy paid no attention to what they were doing.

'You tempered with my emotions you bastard! And now my nakama is dead!'

'Luffy you idiot, he's still alive! Look!' Zoro shouted desperately.

Luffy turned his head to the chef being pulled up by the two men. He then looked at the rest of the crew with a sad face.

Zoro ran forwards desperately, unleashing his swords.

'Zoro! No!'

The swordsman stopped.

'We have to leave him Zoro.'

'WHY THE _FUCK _WOULD YOU DO _THAT!'_

'Sanji has to decide what he wants to do.'

'But he's back to his normal self! He's fine!'

'We have to leave.'

'NO!'

Zoro lunged forward in desperate attempt to grab the other man who was now at the passage entrance but a splitting pain shot through his bones like electricity. He crippled to the floor and shuddered.

Sanji was gone. The darkness ate the frantic body in one.

***

The chef let the men drag him off by the arms. His body refused to fight back. Zoro's shouting got quieter and quieter until it was just a mumble in the back of Sanji's head.

Sanji was let go and he landed on his back. The small room was cold and depressing but a good place for reflection. Even though this was a dangerous situation, Zoro had given him a _lot _to think about. The man was gay because of _him. _So now what did _he_ feel?

Extremely guilty was the answer. The things he said to the person who loved him was beyond outrageous. His chest started to hurt as he thought of how Zoro must feel. Denied love can send even the strongest to the ground.

All of the things Zoro did for him those first two days. He made sure he wasn't miserable and kept him smiling. It was a lot to sit in one room for two whole days and talk to the same person. Sanji suddenly compared himself to a pile of shit. He felt like he had just made everyone dejected by _being _there. He caused all of this mess in the first place!

'_Like this?'_

'_No! You need to twist your upper half at the same time!'_

_Zoro tried it again but this time losing balance and falling off the chair._

'_That was the _worst _lesson I have ever had!'_

'_You are the worst _student _I have ever had!'_

'_How do you expect me to jump in the air _from a fucking chair_, kick your hand and then land without falling off the fucking thing!?'_

'_I do it ALL the time!'_

'_Fine, I want you to start learning three-sword style in five minutes!'_

'_I can't even get out of fucking bed you moron!'_

'_Well I can't twist my body like you can!'_

'_What's that got to do with anything!?'_

'_You want a fight right here!?'_

'_Bring it!'_

_The two wrestled on the bed, Sanji not caring about the pain in his body. He had such a serious face that Zoro only had to give one glance before cracking up. He wrapped his arms around his midsection but the laughing ceased when Sanji grabbed the chair-prop and smashed it over the other man's head._

Sanji realised that Zoro really _was _amiable but did he _love _him? He certainly cared about him because they were friends now. Well...they _were. _He wasn't so sure now after all the things he said. He wanted to get up and tell Zoro that he really _did _like him! Hold on...is that the love kind or the friend kind? He didn't even know. Curse Viper and his shitiness!

He knew he couldn't blame Viper anymore. It was his fault for making his nakama suffer like this. He wished that he could have died just so he couldn't be a burden anymore.

A huge wave of panic washed over him, making his chest feel numb. His breaths started to become ragged and shallow. What the hell was going on? Why was he hyperventilating? A pain in his chest started to grow, centring in his heart.

Was it a heart attack? No...Then what?

Was this about Zoro?

Sanji's heartbeat quickened at the name and the pain got so bad he had to clutch at his clothes.

Was his body trying to tell him that he liked the other man? Could he actually be in _love _with the man who he had cursed upon for the last few years?

***

Luffy took three steps back and turned to walk out the room. The crew followed him after a moment of tension.

'Luffy, we don't have to do this! Let's turn around and-'

'Zoro. A Captain's order is a Captain's order. Are you disobeying me?'

Zoro was shocked at the authority in the man's voice. It was rare and only used when things got tough to deal with...

Soon, the ship groaned under the strain as it turned one-eighty and sailed towards the horizon.

***

'Are you ready for another emotion change, Sanji?'

Sanji slid himself up the wall and pushed off. He kept a hand on the cold stone, supporting his dead weight.

'You're a fucking monster...you know that? Toying with people's emotions like this...it's not right damnit!' Sanji shouted. His anger turned into energy, ready to release.

'I can do what I want, whether you like it or not. Now stay still.'

Sanji stared at the man in front of him, clenching his teeth. He felt nothing.

Viper sent a wave of anger towards the man but Sanji's expression didn't alter. Why isn't it working? Who _is _this guy?

Sanji pushed his weight off the wall and jumped in the air, twisting and then sinking his foot into the other mans stomach. He coughed up blood and fell backwards.

The chef looked at him in surprise.

'I thought you're worth a thousand million? You just seem like the average human.'

Viper wiped the blood from his mouth and snarled.

'They gave me that bounty because I can kill people through my mind as quick as anything.'

Sanji frowned. 'Then why didn't you do that with my nakama? Did you just lose your brain in all the excitement?'

'No, the person I choose to kill has to be relatively weak. Like the reindeer or the women. I get a percentage of the pain you know!'

'Why are you telling me this? You don't protect your information very well, do you?'

'I'm telling you because I think you should know your death.'

'You're the one on the floor, not me.'

'But I can still shut down your brain from down here!'

Sanji didn't know why but he knew it wouldn't work. Just a feeling at the back of his head that told him he was safe.

Viper connected to Sanji's brain and effectively told it to shut down. He waited, no pain entering either man.

Sanji smirked in delight as Viper's face crumpled as if his body was on fire. Pain seared through his bones making him scream out.

'What did you do to me?' He managed to scream.

Sanji couldn't help but laugh. When he did, he felt his own pain throb at his wounds and broken bones. He thought about his nakama as a distraction and ran towards Viper once again that day. He flipped over the man and slammed his foot into his side from behind. The other man flew into the wall and fell, covered in rubble.

Sanji smirked, clutching his side. His knees buckled under his weight making him drop on his caps. He held his palm against the ground to support himself while the other tried to grasp the invisible pain in agony. He didn't know if he could even move for the sake of his nakama.

Viper's underlings were nowhere in sight so Sanji lowered himself on his belly and tried to crawl along the floor. The torture was...torturous as jagged stones crept into his wounds making him cry out in pain.

Twenty minutes later, Sanji reached the docks but widened his eyes in shock as he saw the crew's ship two miles into the distance. It was just a tiny dot sitting on the horizon.

Sanji started to panic, feeling the hyperventilation seeping back into his lungs. He forced it away and got on his feet, leaning on a nearby boulder for support. The pain was agonizing.

'OI LUFFY! OI! IM HERE!'

Each word echoed around the scenery, eventually returning to Sanji, killing every hope he had left.

Tears started to stream down his cheeks unwillingly.

He wanted to be with them again.

Why were they leaving?

There still a lot of things he wanted to on that ship.

Many fights he wanted to cause and many dishes he wanted to cook for his friends. He wanted to talk to Zoro again and hear his laugh projecting around the room. The contagious sound, sinking into his bones.

'ZORO! DAMNIT! COME BACK! ZORO! IM SORRY! JUST COME BACK AND TAKE ME WITH YOU!'

***

Zoro sat on the wooden railing looking at the island where they left Sanji. All he could see of the docks were the lights piercing the darkness and shining onto the water. They were far away now and all hope for their friend was gone.

***

Desperation flooded Sanji's veins as he waded into the freezing water. The light showed him the water, slowly turning red. He knew he couldn't swim all the way to the ship but he had to try. He _had _to get on that damn ship!

Along the way, Sanji's arms grew tired and weak. His lungs were exhausted and began to shut down. The man struggled against the waves and sank slightly. He gurgled as water rushed into his mouth. He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to die. His breaths became shallower and shallower until he just couldn't breathe. He had breathed his last.

***

Zoro's breathe hitched in his throat. Something was wrong. Whatever it was, he couldn't just leave Sanji out there. Whether he was under control again or if he was himself, he _needed _to be with him. He began to feel extremely uncomfortable. He didn't like the situation one bit. Leaving their nakama out there. This wasn't like Luffy. None of this was Sanji's fault so why were they testing him? The person he loved could be dead about now and he was sitting there not _doing _anything.

He stood up and dove into the water. The bitter liquid chilled his skin but he ignored it.

'OI! LUFFY! IM GOING! YOU CAN STICK YOUR FUCKING CAPTAINS ORDERS!'

He heard pattering on the floorboards and Luffy appeared at the rail.

'It took you a while, idiot.'

'What?'

'I was waiting for you to say that.'

'Then why didn't we stay there in the _first _place!?'

'It was a test. You need to feel the absent love when you were forced away from hi-'

'I ALREADY FELT THE ABSENT FUCKING LOVE THE FUCKING FIRST TIME YOU IDIOT!'

'Love is a big thing Zoro...Don't let it slip through your fingers because the wind will carry it awa-'

Luffy...did you have mad cow disease when you were little?'

'Dunno, might have.'

Zoro frowned at the idiot before him and submerged. He couldn't see anything as he opened his eyes. He swam back to the top and breast-stroked towards the lights. He couldn't get lost _now. _

The ship was following but very slowly. The near-midnight waves were high and difficult to steer against.

Zoro felt his feet dig into a sludgy, sandy as he got closer. He stood up; the water up to his chest. He waded towards the shore but before he got there he saw a bodylying on its front. Panic flooded the swordsman as he took larger wades against the draw-back of the water.

He ran, feeling the dead weight of his clothes. He could feel his heart hammering against his ribs as he got closer and saw blonde hair.

Zoro ran over and turned him on his back. He shook him by the shoulders but he didn't move or bat an eyelid. He fumbled around his shirt till he could slide his hand along his neck. No pulse.

He stripped the other man of the blue cloth and criss-crossed his hands on the other mans chest, pushing three times before tilting the blonde's head back, pinching his nose and then plunging his mouth on the others. The feeling of their lips touching made his heart skip way too many beats for him not to have a heart attack. The moment passed and he blew air into Sanji's lungs.

CPR went on for minutes. Zoro was so desperate for Sanji to wake up that he knew he really wasn't. He wanted to see his smiles, frowns, snarls, laughs and ridiculous heart-eyes every single day he had left of his life.

Zoro's hands were still. He knew that the more he tried, the more he was hurling himself in the denial stage. He lay on his stomach, burying his face into the wet sand.

Sanji suddenly spluttered and started coughing. A rough sound ripping up his throat.

Zoro was up in a split second, staring at the other man in amazement.

Sanji sat up, trying to cough up the water still in his lungs.

Zoro thumped his back and then rubbed it in circles. When the water was gone Zoro pulled the other man into a tight hug.

'Thank you God. Thank you so much!'

Sanji laid his head on Zoro's chest, listening to his racing heartbeat.

'Sanji...I don't think anyone in the whole world knows the kind of shit you have put me through today. I thought you were dead..._twice, _you made me think you hated my guts, you drove me _nuts _today! But...it was all worth it...in the end. This is my one and only chance to tell you this because if you were up and running you really would be standing up and running for the hills. Right now I can tell you...how I feel. To me, you are the biggest star in the sky. There are many types of stars out there. Some circular, some pointed. We are all stars, Sanji. Everyone is circular or has two points, or three or four. Everyone except you. You are the suns right hand guy. You are the only one with...five points. You are my shining star Sanji. You have five breathtaking qualities that make up the star I am holding right now.

'You are skilful.' He placed a kiss on Sanji's hand.

'You are sensitive.' He placed a kiss on the inside of his other palm.

'You are strong.' He gently squeezed the leg he was holding.

'You are defined perfectly.' He gave the other leg a comforting stroke.

'And...You are the most beautiful man I have ever laid my eyes on.' He said, leaning in and placing a soft kiss on Sanji's parted lips.

'What...only...five?' Sanji whispers.

'Well being kicked in the face all the time isn't exactly breathtaking now is it?'

Sanji laughed, wincing at the pain.

'If I...am the sun's right hand man...then you are...the shitty sun.'

'And what's that supposed to mean, Aho-cook?'

'It means...your qualities...are shown in random spurts...The sun emits...little flickers of...fire. Every flicker is an...amazing quality...that makes up the perfect person.'

Zoro's arms tensed like mad. What was he saying? Did he...did he like him?

'I love you'

'I...love you too.'

Zoro still looked at Sanji in shock but gave a warm smile. He kissed him on the forehead and rested his chin on the top of his golden mop.

Soon, Sanji started to snore lightly. Zoro smiled at the man in his arms as their ship got closer and closer. Just this once...he didn't care what everyone else would think. He didn't care if they knew he was gay. He didn't care, just as long as he had this man in his arms for the rest of his life.

*****

A year later, the Strawhat crew had reached their goals in life. Luffy had found One piece, become Pirate King which also meant strongest person in the world. Zoro had surpassed all swordsmen in order to become the greatest and Sanji found the legendary sea, All Blue.

They all went their own ways. Some, like Usopp, Chopper, Franky and Nami, went back to their hometowns to live in peace once again. Other's like Robin and Brooke went travelling for personal reason and the rest, Luffy, Zoro and Sanji, got their own place; By which I mean, _Luffy _got his own place and Zoro and Sanji bought their own tiny island, surrounded by All Blue...

***

Three years later...

Zoro pinned the blonde man's shoulders down, panting and sweating. Their skin got hotter with each touch.

'There's no...way...I'm gonna...'

Sanji smirked, panting harder than the other man. Condensation escaped his lips like silk blowing in the wind. He slid his hands up Zoro's firm chest and to his sides. The swordsman caught his breath at the touch but let it out in one go as the feather-like fingers started dancing across his taut skin.

Zoro's laughter projected out, refusing to let go of Sanji's shoulder's.

'Let go...you know you want to!'

Zoro couldn't stop laughing. His own shoulders were shaking and Sanji couldn't help but stare at his shoulder-blades just about visible as he bent his head down. They were moving so gracefully as his muscles moved about under his firm skin. His fingers stopped suddenly as his vision moved across Zoro's half-naked form. He admired the body in front of him; thinking just how beautiful it really was. He lifted his arms around the other man's broad neck and lowered him so that their lips could meet halfway. He gently kissed the other man, not caring that he took him by surprise. The hands left Sanji's shoulders and roamed his chest, trying to visualise the stunning person beneath him. Well-defined muscles, feeling like they were _carved _into his body. This thought recurred every time they were together. How Sanji seemed perfectly made. Every single detail was perfect; the lines, the indents, the roundness of his pecks, the shape of every limb on the body. Everything there was designed to make Zoro fall in love all over again every time he crossed his vision.

Zoro's shock dissolved into the deepening kiss they shared. His hands continued to roam till they reached the rim of Sanji's trousers. He teased the belt, pulling and sliding along till he unclasped the metal buckle. He slowly undid the button and gave the zipper the same torture. Sanji moaned into the kiss, a signal to hurry up and Zoro's cue to make things _drastically slow. _He slid the black trousers off Sanji's sallow legs, savouring the touch under his skin receptors. He toyed with the waistband of the chefs boxer's sending him an unvoiced message, '_should I take these off?' _Sanji bucked his hips, a sign of desire.

Zoro smirked into the kiss, not breaking it just yet, and let his hands rest on Sanji's defined hips. He moaned in protest as it was his turn to undress. He used his deft fingers to strip Zoro of his dark green trousers. The swordsman smirked once more as the other man rushed. Zoro broke the kiss and slid down, leaving a sweet trail of butterfly kisses down the well-built torso. He bit the utmost corner of the silky blue boxers and pulled them slowly down till they reached Sanji's ashen knees.

The cook moaned as the fabric amplified his semi-erection. His member throbbed as it _needed _the release. Zoro held the pulsating item and slowly began pumping it. Sanji's moans were like a drug to Zoro. Every time he heard them, he sighed in elation. He could feel the other mans member become more erect with time so he stopped the now-rapid movement and pulled his own dark green boxers down. He was hard and ready.

'Bottom it today?' Zoro mumbled in Sanji's ear.

The chef nodded and hooked his legs over the other mans shoulders who was sitting up on his knees. Zoro placed the tip of his erect member at Sanji's entrance, feeling the warmth join his own skin. He pushed in slowly, holding the other man's hips in place. Sanji moaned as the pressure increased. Zoro started to move again, rocking his hips at a steady rhythm. He pulled the chefs hips back to meet him each time, moaning as he hit Sanji's back wall. The blonde had his arms laid down on the sand, gripping the grains in his hands and keeping them imprisoned.

Zoro brought a hand round the side of Sanji's leg and gripped his member. He pumped it in time to his thrusts, making the other man's moans get louder and louder.

'Shit- nghh- Zoro- I'm- gonna- ahhh...'

Sanji's seed covered the majority of his chest and some on Zoro's hand. He brought it up to his lips and licked it off the side of his finger.

'You taste...good today...Sanji.'

Sanji looked at Zoro's pained expression as he pulled out, still needing release.

'Baka.'

He took his legs away from the man's shoulders and crawled, on his hands and knees, over to the desperate man. He bent his head down and licked the side of the member, causing shivers to ripple on Zoro's hot skin. Sanji took the whole length into his mouth and ran his own hot tongue on the taut skin. He pulled back, paying attention to the tip, sucking and nibbling. He ran his tongue over it, savouring the taste of pre-cum.

Zoro twisted his fingers into Sanji's golden hair, gripping it tightly.

'Oh fuck! Sanji! Shit! SANJI!'

He let his head fall back, soaking in the pleasure that flowed through his veins.

'Oh God, Sanji.'

Sanji pushed his lover's chest till he fell back on the hot sand. He crawled up his body and let himself be held in the strong arms that loved him dearly.

'Love you Zoro.'

'Love you too...Shit-cook.'

'Baka...'

'Mmh...'

They fell asleep in each other's love. They didn't give a single care for the rest of the world. Not when they were together like this. Like this...they were the only ones that mattered.

*****

I cannot believe I wrote this.

My first complete yaoi.

Ok. If anyone wants me to write a sequel to this story then let me know and I will do it, ok? I'm fine with whatever. I'm going to start another SanjixZoro story based on the poem "the words you will never read" which I need to rename because the title is SHIT.

So yeah.

Tell me what you thought of this chapter.

I made it really long on purpose.

Tell me what you want me to do. Whether I should end it or continue.

Meh.

Your decision guys.

So, hope you enjoyed!

Thank you for reading and reviewing!

CHESKA

XXXXXXXXXXX

p.s. if anyone wants me to be your beta than I will be more than happy!


	9. Chapter 9

I just thought you might want to know, i've started a sequel called A Million Prismatic Hues and i hope you enjoy it. :)


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